


How To Become A God In 30 Days Or Less (Money Back Guaranteed)

by moonofblindness



Category: Supernatural
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-21
Updated: 2011-07-21
Packaged: 2017-10-21 15:12:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 29,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/226595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonofblindness/pseuds/moonofblindness
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gabriel is resurrected to be Adam's guardian angel, but as all things Winchester, nothing goes according to plan and another angel claims a Winchester.</p>
            </blockquote>





	How To Become A God In 30 Days Or Less (Money Back Guaranteed)

Chapter One  
Stretched to the point of no turning back  
A flight of fancy on a windswept field  
Standing alone my senses reeled  
A fatal attraction is holding me fast,  
How can I escape this irresistible grasp?

 

It was the loneliness that was killing Gabriel. He never did well being alone, which when he stopped to think about it, was all the time. With the exception of periods of his life as Loki. He had had two wives and a husband of sorts after all, although not all at the same time. That would’ve been one hell of a party. But then six images flashed through him. He missed his children most of all. So much he could’ve done better and now will never have the chance, especially with Hel. She was supposed to be daddy’s little girl, but he fucked up. He tried to never think about any of it.

Then Lucifer stabbed him and killed him, right down to the scorched ash marks of his wings on the floor… and the table… and the chairs. And dammit why didn’t his wings make it to the walls. That was definitely not an accurate depiction of his archangel wings. Those scorch marks were puny in comparison to his real wings. His gold and amber and honey colored wings. His wings that awed the Virgin Mary. His wings that commanded respect and were the only things missed while in witness protection. Actually not true; there was something else he missed or rather someone else.

Gabriel was completely and totally alone now, no snapping scantily clad, hot women well trained in the martial arts to be by his side. There was no way Gabriel could spend eternity like this, and no way he couldn’t. Talk about the proverbial rock and hard place.

Being a dead angel was worse than being a real angel, at least real angels got to be celestial wavelengths of intent. Gabriel wasn’t even that. He was consciousness and utterly alone. There’s no heaven for dead angels, dad never thought about that. Never occurred to him that his heavenly beings would perish even though he knew there was a war on the horizon. Nothing lasts forever, right? Even one day God will be reaped or so says Death, then what? Then Gabriel will lose all ties to his consciousness and for the first time in his entire excruciatingly long existence Gabriel will truly be alone.

He was just floating around in the ether, singing:  
Above the planet on a wing and a prayer,  
My grubby halo, a vapour trail in the empty air,  
Across the clouds I see my shadow fly  
Out of the corner of my watering eye  
A dream unthreatened by the morning light  
Could blow this soul right through the roof of the night

So, so you think you can tell  
Heaven from Hell  
blue skies from pain  
Can you tell a green field  
from a cold steel rail?  
A smile from a veil?  
Do you think you can tell?

When I was a child  
I caught a fleeting glimpse  
Out of the corner of my eye.  
I turned to look but it was gone  
I cannot put my finger on it now  
The child is grown,  
The dream is gone.  
I have become comfortably numb.

And as Gabriel was singing he was contemplating the possibility of Roger Waters and David Gilmour being two of his fallen brothers, when he was assaulted with the most heavenly scent ever. He followed it because although he could not actually smell this delicious odor, and even though he had no stomach, and even if he was in a vessel he still wouldn’t need to eat, the aroma made him devastatingly hungry.

It was like the fragrance was tethered to Gabriel and pulling him along. He wasn’t scared, in fact he really wasn’t anything at all, just hungry, which in itself was only phantom hunger.

Amongst the insatiable hunger Gabriel started to notice other things – like the sounds of sizzling and of metal clanging, the feel of heat and of a minor burn. All of these vibrations pulled Gabriel through the ether like Crush in the East Australian Current.

The next thing Gabriel knew he was being assaulted by sensations of every kind, seeming to come from everywhere. He just wanted to curl in on himself, but he had no him to curl around. This was something he hadn’t felt in multiple millennia, he was back within the Heavenly Host. The one place he had desperately tried to never return too.

“Gabriel, brother.”

He knew he should have recognized the voice but he fought the recognition as hard as he could.

“Gabriel.”

The voice had gotten angrier, whereas before, it was gentle like trying to coax a frightened animal out of hiding.

“Gabe!”

Oh shit now I’m in trouble, there are only three people in Heaven, Earth or Hell that would call me that, Gabriel thought.

Gabriel floated up to the choir where the archangels resided and manifested himself into his trickster form for comfortability.

“Hi Gabe,” Castiel said pleasantly, almost kind of brotherly.

“Hey Cas,” Gabriel responded.

“I want to thank you for all that you did and sacrificed for Dean and Sam,” Castiel said monotonely.

“I didn’t do it for them. I did it out of pure selfishness. I liked what I had going on down there and I didn’t want to lose it, and no matter who won the earth was toast,” Gabriel admitted.

“Either way, thank you,” Castiel replied.

Gabriel continued like he hadn’t heard Castiel, “Living easy living free that was me. I didn’t have to deal with the pressures of my brothers. I didn’t have to choose sides. I tried to kind of remain angelic by only dishing out just desserts to the wicked and maybe I took too much joy in it, and I tried to warn Sam with that whole Broward County mystery spot thing, but I didn’t know about their half brother Adam.”

Castiel took the opportunity when Gabriel paused for a non needed breath to interject, “I suspect you have questions, Gabriel.”

“How did I end up here? And where was I? And what the fuck happened to you little brother? And I guess Michael won? Did Sam and Dean make it? What was that deliciousness that I smelled in the ether? And…” Gabriel started rambling.

“I was resurrected Gabriel, and restored to my former glory and then some. I am new and improved,” Castiel stated proudly.

“And you have been hanging around the Winchesters too long if you know that phrase,” Gabriel grinned.

“They taught me a great many things yes,” Castiel replied.

“And did you ever tell Dean how you feel about him and what exactly that handprint means,” Gabriel asked concerned.

“He is happy with Lisa and Ben. He finally has the family he has always wanted.” Gabriel thought he saw Castiel sigh.

“He wants you dumbass and a family with you. Dean loves you, you fucking dipshit. Now go take back your mate. You are not happy here,” Gabriel practically scolded Castiel.

“How did this get turned around on me, Gabe?” Castiel asked gloomily.

“I fucked up with Hel and her brothers so badly, Cas. And I can’t fix that. I’ll be damned if my angelic child is going to fuck up his life more than I’ve already done, just to tow the angelic line,” Gabriel replied feverishly.

“You’ve done no such thing,” Castiel replied almost shocked.

“Why am I here little brother?” Gabriel asked sincerely. “I was nothing, and it was peaceful and then there was this gorgeous aroma making me hungry and I wasn’t supposed to get hungry, then it was pulling me, and now I’m here, why?”

“Which question do you want answered first big brother?” Castiel asked with slight sarcasm to his voice, another thing he must have picked from the Winchesters.

“Stop being difficult, Cas,” Gabriel admonished.

“Then take a walk with me, Gabe?” Cas asked his brother, the only one that he loved like family.

“Sure, why not?”

“Because you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to Gabriel you of all people should know that,” Cas answered slightly perplexed.

“Still haven’t quite grasped the concept of rhetorical have you Cas?”

“Am I supposed to answer that?” Cas asked.

“Doesn’t matter Cas,” Gabriel said with a weight to his words.

“I am sorry Gabriel, I realize I disappoint you and Dean. I think that is why I do not go back, the hurt on his face when I left, I do not think I could handle ever seeing that again, brother,” Castiel said in a lachrymose manner.

“Oh Cas, I’m sorry bro, I didn’t mean it like that,” Gabriel said while he wrapped an arm around Cas’ shoulders. “The Winchesters were right when they called me a dick, ya know. I gave up caring about anyone or anything, it was easier that way.”

“I never stopped caring about you, Gabriel,” Castiel whispered.

“I know kiddo,” Gabriel whispered back.

“Please don’t hate me, then,” Castiel nearly begged.

“And that is never a good thing to hear,” Gabriel laughed.

“I, with some help, brought you back from the ether. I have a new role for you, but now I am not sure you will be happy with it,” Castiel replied.

“Just hit me with it. News like this is always better said fast like pulling off a band-aid,” Gabriel instructed Castiel.

“You are to go retrieve Adam Milligan from Hell and be his guardian angel,” Castiel said as fast as he could.

“I’m sorry, I don’t think I heard you right. You want me to do what?” Gabriel was edging to furious fast.

“Pull the youngest Winchester from the pit and watch over him, assbutt,” Castiel said matching Gabriel’s level of furiousness.

Gabriel literally fell to floor he was laughing so hard. “Assbutt? What the fuck is that Castiel? Oh Dad I think I busted a rib.”

“It is what I called Michael before I heaved a holy fire Molotov at him,” Castiel said not impressed.

“You did what?” Gabriel managed to gasp out.

“I insulted Michael, and then disintegrated him, and then Lucifer blew me to bits. I really hate being blown to bits it is so inelegant. And twice it has happened to me! Raphael is more like Lucifer than he cares to admit. And I’m always standing next to someone when it happens, do you even know how embarrassing it is to face someone who has had you scattered and smeared all over them. The Prophet Chuck could not look me in the eye after he and the Winchesters found Jimmy’s molar in his hair. And there is not enough liquor in the entire world to make me face Bobby Singer.” Castiel finally groaned in exasperation. “Then Father resurrected me again, with Archangel level powers so, how did Dean put it, I could be the new sheriff in Heaven and lead an army against Raphael’s,” Castiel explained.

“You are so BAMF Cas, I never knew you had it in you,” Gabriel genuinely praised Castiel.

Castiel beamed at the compliment, even though he had no idea what it meant and it seemed Gabriel could tell.

“Bad ass motherfucker, Cas, that’s what it means and you are totally that, Dean must have been absolutely proud of you,” Gabriel commended.

“I do not know if he was, he was so full of anger and sadness that last time in the Impala…” Castiel trailed off.

“Can you blame him, Cas? He just lost his brothers, and then was about to be abandoned by the only friend he has ever had in his life, and to go thirty one years without a friend is a long time for humans,” Gabriel sighed. He could totally sympathize with the way Dean was probably feeling. After all he had been alone for so long before the Winchesters ever appeared on his Pagan god-dar, and he was just about ready to spend all of eternity alone, until that wonderful smelling something caught his interest.

“What are you thinking about, brother?” Castiel asked solemnly, afraid of disappointing Gabriel again.

“I had been thinking about Dean…” Cas rose an eyebrow at his brother. “No, no, not like that. I was thinking how much I sympathize with the lug, being alone is no picnic. And then I remembered that awesome aroma, and Cas, I’ve gotta know, what was it?”

Cas smiled sheepishly, “Well, I decided to put my new super powers to the test, turns out I could not resurrect you outright, but I found a loophole, I guess is what you would call it. I could entice you back to life, kind of like fishing I believe. All I needed to do was find the right lure. Air Heads, Almond Joys, Baby Ruth, Butterfingers, Charleston Chews, cotton candy, crème filled chocolates, Gobstoppers, Good and Plenty, gummi bears, gummi worms, Hot Tamales, jelly beans, Jolly Ranchers…”

This is where Gabriel’s mouth had started to water.

“…Junior Mints, Kisses, Kit Kats, Laffy Taffy, Lifesavers, lollipops, M&M’s, Mike and Ikes, Milk Duds, Milky Ways, Mounds, Mr. Goodbars, Nerds, peach rings, peanut butter cups, Peppermint Patties, peppermints, Pez, Raisinettes, Ring Pops, Rolos, Skittles, Snickers, Sour Patch Kids, Startbursts, Sugar Babies, sugar covered marshmallow chickens…”

“PEEPS!” Gabriel cried.

“…Swedish Fish, Sweet Tarts, Three Musketeers, Toblerone, Tootsie pops, Twix, Twizzlers, Whoppers. Strangely enough, no known candy in the world worked; I thought for sure that would have been the right lure.”

“So don’t keep me hanging in suspense, little bro. What did turn out to be the right lure?” Gabriel practically begged.

“Bobby Singer frying up bacon for one of those sandwiches, um…” Cas faltered for the name.

“BLT,” Gabriel supplied.

“Yes BLT, that is quite correct brother,” Castiel replied.

“I was resurrected by a BLT!?” Gabriel squawked. “Really, a BLT? Really?”

“Yes Gabriel, a BLT. I left a sort of window open between Bobby’s house and the ether world in case anything happened there that might pull you back. As it turns out, it’s the way he makes his BLT’s that brought you back,” Castiel explained very level headedly.

“That man has my eternal gratitude for bringing me back from that nothingness,” Gabriel said excitedly. And Gabriel started thinking of all the ways he could repay the older hunter, including offering sexual favors.

“I am glad that you are alright with being resurrected brother,” Castiel said sheepishly. I do believe Bobby would be appreciative of the offer of oral stimulation, but if I were you I wouldn’t suggest it; especially, if you want to continue the second half of your excruciatingly long life.”

“Of course I’m glad little bro, and I’ll take your advice under advisement. Interesting way to have done it and leave it to you to figure it out; but what I need clarification on again is why?” Gabriel placated Castiel.

“Brother, I need help. I am at my wits end with all this bull shit up here that I can’t watch over both Winchesters and their family the way I would like,” Castiel said with desperation. “There are guardians in place for Dean, Sam, and Bobby.”

“Let me guess, you are watching Dean, even with everything else that’s going on,” Gabriel interrupted. Castiel nodded. “Good, now just tell me please that you don’t have Munkir and Nakir watching over Sam and Bobby.”

“If for one moment I thought Sam or Bobby would get over black eyed angels, I couldn’t use them. They are fighting for Raphael. Ramiel is watching over Sam, and Zagzagel is guarding Bobby. But I have yet to find someone for Adam, and after everything he’s been through, he does not deserve an eternity in hell trapped with our brothers.”

“True that. But what I still don’t get is why me, Cas?” Gabriel asked. “It’s not like I’ve been towing the Heavenly line lately. Hell I even sided with humans over angels and demons,” Gabriel tried to justify.

“That is exactly what makes you the perfect choice Gabriel,” Castiel replied.

“Dude, I am not perfect for anything!” Gabriel exclaimed.

“You are perfect in your imperfection,” Castiel replied calmly.

“And you sound like a fortune cookie, Cas,” Gabriel sighed. “But it still doesn’t change the facts.”

“You were perfect in raising me, Gabriel,” Castiel whispered so softly that if it weren’t for angelic hearing Gabriel might have missed it.

Gabriel dropped down onto a bench, that wasn’t there before, head in his hands and huffed. He had never been a guardian angel, hell he hadn’t even been an angel in fuck-all knows how long. Now he was expected to watch over some poor schmuck of a kid who never had a chance because of the unfortunate fact of who his father was. This just fucking sucked there was no other way to put it.

Castiel sat down next to his brother and hesitantly placed a gentle hand on Gabriel’s back at the base of his neck. Gabriel was touched by the younger angel’s attempt at comfort.

“But what if I fuck him up even worse, Cas?” And there it was, the real reason Gabriel was so scared. Fucking up his own life he could deal with, but he couldn’t handle being the reason someone else’s life ended up being fucked.

“If I thought that was even a remote possibility, then I never would have asked you to do this. There is no one I trust more than you to take care of Adam Milligan,” Castiel said soothingly.

“Trust me Cas, you don’t want me doing this, there’s gotta be someone better,” Gabriel said into his hands. “What about Mihr, Dina, Samandiriel, Isda, Hamied, Malchediel, Iofiel, Sachael?” Gabriel asked the ground.

“They are on Earth trying to repair as much as they can,” Castiel replied for the ground.

Gabriel kept listing names, “Muriel, Israfil, Micah, Qaphsiel, Mihael, Nathaniel, Rhamiel?”

“Fighting with me against Raphael; they don’t believe that Father wanted any of this either,” Castiel said then paused before continuing. “Adam is floundering, Gabriel, and there is no one else that can help him like you can. His world got flipped upside down and he ended up dead because of it. Now get over yourself, and go help that kid,” Castiel commanded, and then shoved Gabriel.

The next thing Gabriel knew he was falling…

 

Chapter Two  
I've been deep down in that darkness  
I've been down to my last match  
Felt a hundred different deamons breathin' fire down my back  
And I knew that if I stumbled I'd fall right into the trap  
That they were layin'  
But the good news is there's angels everywhere out on the street  
Holdin' out a hand to pull you back up on your feet  
If you're goin' through hell keep on going  
Don't slow down if you're scared don't show it  
You might get out before the devil even knows you're there

 

Really freaking fast. It took Gabriel a moment to right himself and flare out his huge gold and amber and honey wings. He glided down to Earth in South Dakota, just outside of Singer Salvage Yard.

Gabriel roamed through the towers of wrecked cars for what seemed liked hours. Bobby’s yard was a marvel, a museum of the automotive revolution. Gabriel was impressed at the massiveness of this labyrinth that held not only had a ridiculous amount of Tauruses and Wranglers, but Bobby had rarities like a Ford Model T, and classics like ’65 Mustangs. Gabriel reminisced about all the cars he had had since his first Model T before he made his way to Bobby’s house. He was just about to start up the stairs to the porch when Bobby opened the door.

“Took you fucking long enough, Woodstock,” Bobby said gruffly by way of greeting.

“Woodstock? Woodstock. Cute little sidekick to Snoopy, epitome of the free love movement, I like it. Thanks, Ironsides. So you knew I was here?” Gabriel asked.

“Not much happens in my yard without me knowing, and I was given a head’s up that you would be showing up,” Bobby said.

“Cas?” Gabriel said by way of his next question.

“Yup. I had to break the angel wards so you could walk in, since Cas wouldn’t let me watch you keep hitting an invisible wall. Well come on and get your feathery ass in here boy.” And that was Bobby’s welcome to the Archangel he had never formally met.

Bobby led the way to the kitchen where lunch was ready and waiting. The hunter and the Archangel sat down on either side of the table and dug in. Bobby was never bother by silence, he’d lived alone since his wife had died, but after his time in the ether, Gabriel needed noise.

“So, Ironsides…” Gabriel started.

“If you hadn’t noticed I’m not in the chair anymore,” Bobby huffed.

“It’s temporary ‘til I come up with something better, or would you prefer I call you Gramps?” Gabriel smiled.

“You’re just as much an idjit now as you were back on that college campus.”

“Yup. I haven’t changed much…” Gabriel paused, “Thank you.”

“For what?” Bobby asked confusedly.

“Helping Cas resurrect me,” Gabriel stated simply.

“O that. Yeah Cas told me about that. ‘s probably a good thing I didn’t know about it at the time,” Bobby gruffed.

“Thank you anyway,” Gabriel replied.

“Yeah well, eat up and then I’ll fill you in.”

Gabriel just grinned as he went back to take a bite of his sandwich. Once it hit his mouth though, all he could do was make obscene noises of happiness and contentment; Bobby quirked an eyebrow at the Archangel, but said nothing.

“You know this tastes even better than it smelled out there. Cas told me not to say anything…” Gabriel had started to say.

“Usually a good idea to listen to that angel,” Bobby interrupted.

“But, dear Dad, Bobby you are a god with bacon. This is delicious and you saved me from a bad place, you have my eternal gratitude. If there is anything you need let me know.” Gabriel was about half way through the BLT when he blurted, “I’ll even blow you. I can shift into a female form if that’s more comfortable for you, maybe that cute sheriff in town.”

Bobby nearly choked on his own BLT and it took two full beers to calm his system down. “The offer is…uh…noted and appreciated, I’ll have to get back to you on that. Though, out of hunter curiosity, you could really change into a woman?”

“O yeah, I gave birth to my son Slipnir,” Gabriel said like everyone could do it.

“Isn’t that Odin’s eight legged horse?” Bobby asked.

“Yup, I was a mare, got knocked up by a stud, and had Slipnir. And he’s not Odin’s anymore,” Gabriel barely explained.

“What do you mean he’s not Odin’s anymore?” Bobby had to ask.

“Odin’s dead, Lucifer killed him, so Slipnir’s a free horse now. He’s probably the only one of my pagan kids who is free,” Gabriel sighed.

Bobby got through another half a beer when his curiosity got the better of him again, “You said Slipnir was one of your Pagan kids – that infers you have angelic kids.”

“Sorta. All angels are created from God’s love knowing everything up to the point of their creation, but some older angels will take a fledgling under their wing until another assignment comes along,” Gabriel explained.

“So you’re like teachers?” Bobby continued.

“Yes, but more, like in some aspects of the animal kingdom – the parents teach their young, love them, groom them, hope they instilled all the right values, and ways to survive, and then they leave. Only angels don’t leave,” Gabriel explained.

Bobby thought for a moment, and regretted his next words as soon as he spoke them, “So who was yours?”

“Castiel.”

“I was afraid of that. And you left him,” Bobby said as more of statement than a question.

“Yes I did,” Gabriel said softly.

“Why?” Bobby needed to know, Feathers was like another son to him now.

“There was a distinct possibility that I might have followed Luci and fell, and I didn’t want to taint Cas any more than I already had; but it seems I rubbed off on him more than I realized,” Gabriel sighed.

“How could you be so cruel to him?” Bobby couldn’t let this go.

“I thought I was doing the right thing,” Gabriel explicated.

“And TV Land? He still isn’t even able to tell Dean what happened to him when you made him disappear,” Bobby said like he was picking a scab.

“I was still playing, being Loki, but I didn’t do anything to my fledgling,” Gabriel replied.

“Then why did he show up the second time covered in cuts and bruises?” Bobby asked.

“’Cause of his training as a soldier angel. He had an objective; he had to see it through. The cuts and bruises, well, let’s just say I like strong women,” Gabriel grinned.

“Fuck I didn’t want to know that. Ok, so here’s the thing, Dean is very protective of that angel, and you walked out on him and that doesn’t fly with Dean. So, let Cas be the one to tell him about your relationship, ‘cause he finds out any other way he’ll stake you for the hell of it,” Bobby concluded.

They ate in silence after that and Bobby whipped up a couple more sandwiches and tossed Gabriel another beer. When they were done Bobby made his way over to his study and Gabriel followed.

He let Bobby work for a while in silence just sitting on Bobby’s couch contemplating, well everything, when he finally said, “Tell me what happened.”

“What do you know?” Bobby asked.

“Sam and Adam are in the cage, and Dean’s with Lisa and Ben,” Gabriel replied.

“This requires harsher medicine, here…” Bobby handed Gabriel a glass of whiskey and Gabriel snapped up a chair closer to Bobby’s desk. “Damn, where do I start?”

“How about TV Land?” Gabriel suggested.

“Ellen and Jo got blown-up, Dean shot Lucifer with the colt and found out it didn’t work…” Bobby started.

“Lucifer, Michael, Raphael, God, and me,” Gabriel stated.

“What?” Bobby asked.

“The five beings the Colt won’t kill,” Gabriel answered.

“Yeah, too bad Crowley didn’t know that when he gave the Colt back to us,” Bobby gruffed.

“He should have,” Gabriel added, putting fuel on the fire.

“When I get my hands on that motherfucking crossroads demon I’m gonna put a bullet through his brain! After I get my soul back that is!” Bobby fumed.

“You have no soul? What the fuck did you do Bobby?” Gabriel screamed.

“I was getting to that Woodstock. The boys and Feathers got wind of a case, turned out to be Famine, got his ring. Two down two to go,” Bobby had started to continue.

“Who else did you have?” Gabriel interrupted.

“War’s and according to Dean he don’t ride a red horse anymore. Then there was Sam and Dean’s trek through Heaven, only to find out your daddy don’t give a shit,” Bobby said.

“Never did, even before I left,” Gabriel supplied.

“Well, that sent Cas over the edge and when the boys were dealing with the whore, Cas was drunk.”

“Damn! He must have drunk an entire liquor store,” Gabriel added.

“He did. Dean took care of the whore.” Gabriel raised an eyebrow at that. “Yeah. Then he took off, Sam chased, he and Cas brought Dean back here, and that’s where Zachariah and his minions had the great idea to get Adam involved. Cas killed two more of his brothers before Adam awoke underground, and we still don’t wanna know how they managed that,” Bobby sipped at his whiskey.

“He wasn’t buried?” Gabriel asked, figuring whatever he could find out about Adam wouldn’t hurt.

“Nope. After the boys dealt with the ghouls that took on Adam and his mom’s likenesses they gave Adam a hunter’s funeral,” Bobby explained.

“Burning on a pyre.”

Bobby nodded, took another swig of whiskey and continued. “Sam and I locked Dean in the panic room while we tried to deal with Adam, but he blew Cas away and snuck out to go say yes. Cas found him and beat him to a bloody pulp, but by the time they were all back here Adam had vanished. Against my better judgment Sam took Dean to the beautiful room, seemed kinda gaudy to me from their descriptions of it, but whatever. Cas carved the disappearing angel sigil on his chest to get rid of the guards, then Dean stormed in like the reckless cowboy he is, went to get Adam when Zachariah appeared, Sam tried to use Cas’ sword on Zachariah, but got tossed across the room instead, and that’s when Dean did it. Zach went and called Michael down, Dean made some conditions; one being that Michael couldn’t have him until Michael killed Zach. That douche angel actually thought Michael would choose him over Dean, didn’t matter though ‘cause Dean took care of Zach. He got Adam on his feet and was helping Sam out when the door shut behind and they couldn’t get it back open to get Adam out.”

Gabriel pounded down a shot knowing all too well what was in store for Adam at that point.

Bobby waited while Gabriel drank then continued: “The next bit you already know.”

Gabriel nodded and they both slammed back the whiskey.

“It took us awhile but we got a line on Pestilence and right before the boys took off, Dean got a call from Cas who apparently reappeared on a shrimp boat off of Delacroix. Completely human and he still managed to save the day and the boys asses.” Gabriel couldn’t help the huge proud smile on his face. “While they were off getting Pestilence’s ring, I lent my soul to Crowley, so he could do a spell to find Death.”

“BOBBY!” Gabriel growled, realizing for the first time just how close he felt to these guys.

“I got my ass reamed already, Woodstock,” Bobby muttered.

“You are a fucking idjit, you’re supposed to be the brains of this operation, the Hannibal of this A-Team!” Gabriel scorned.

“Yeah I know, but we didn’t have many options back then. Anyway, Dean and Crowley went to Chicago to deal with Death while Sam, Cas, and I – with a surprise from Crowley, went to this pharmaceutical company’s distribution center to stop them from getting the Croatoan virus out. Dean got Death’s ring, well Death lent Dean his ring and we stopped the virus. We regrouped back here then headed out for Detroit, where Sam said yes to Lucifer and everything went to shit.”

“Why the fuck did Sam say yes?”

“’Cause there was no other way to get Lucifer into the hole; but as it turned out, someone’s intel wasn’t as solid as we thought. He knew Gabriel,” Bobby paused to almost glare at the archangel.

“What?” Gabriel asked confused.

“The devil knew what Sam was up to and about us having the rings and sending him back to the cage, he fucking knew,” Bobby sounded exasperated.

“I…I…” Gabriel stuttered.

“It don’t matter now. Lucifer took off wearing Sam. And Dean held it together enough to call Chuck and found out where the title match was going down.”

“Back in Lawrence,” Gabriel stated.

“Yup. He drove into the cemetery to see his brothers staring each other down. Dean pulled right up, got out and was his cocky self. He tried to get through to both of them, then me and Cas show up, Cas took care of Michael and Lucifer did away with Cas and broke my neck,” Bobby related.

“Yeah, about that, Cas is embarrassed to hell about dowsing you with his bits so if you could go easy on him about that,” Gabriel round about asked.

“Uh-huh. Dean took the beating of a lifetime from Lucifer and something finally clicked and Sam took control enough to toss himself and Michael into the cage. Dean was never sure how long he knelt there when Cas came back better than ever. He healed Dean right quick and brought me back to life. And that’s how the world was saved; one brother’s love getting through to the other. No gunfire, no fireworks, no explosives, and no celebrations when it was all over,” Bobby concluded.

“At least there were no Ewoks singing,” Gabriel tried for levity.

“At least there was that,” Bobby said.

They finished the bottle of whiskey in silence. When the whiskey was gone, Bobby called it a night. Gabriel would have too, except that he had just spent way too long in a sleeplike state, he wasn’t going to waste any part of his first day back on earth unconscious. Besides he had way too much on his mind to sleep even if he wanted too, so he went back out into the salvage yard.

There was a kind of ethereal beauty to the towers of scrap at night with the moonlight glinting off the cold steel. Gabriel just wandered around again, paying absolutely no mind to the lefts and rights he was taking, he was too focused on everything Bobby had told him. He would never admit it, except maybe to Kali, but he kind of felt responsible for Sam being down there with his dick brothers.

Maybe if he had grown a pair sooner he maybe could have talked some sense into those two douchebags. Maybe if he had just been straight with Sam after Mystery Spot. Why hadn’t he realized Dean was the Righteous Man? He could have kept Dean dead until after the contract expired and brought him back. Fuck, he had held Dean’s soul for all those Tuesdays and then all those months while Sam was looking for him. He could have dicked over his brother’s minions and averted the apocalypse with no bloodshed, well with the exception of Dean’s blood those times he died violently – like with the ax or the shotgun.

By the time the first rays of dawn approached over the horizon, Gabriel knew what he had to do next, and how to accomplish it. By the time Bobby had woken up, Gabriel was gone, leaving a note on the kitchen table: Thanks for yesterday & everything else. My offer still stands, but in the meantime I hope you can find a use for these. – Woodstock.

 

Chapter 3  
Last night my shadow went to heaven  
My body is here  
My soul in hell  
Last night i killed  
I can’t remember  
Who I killed and why i loved  
Last night will never seem close to heaven  
Today I Woke To The Rain Of Blood

 

Adam figured he now knew what Alice felt like falling down the rabbit hole, but never in his wildest nightmares did he ever think his life would end up like this. Of course he never thought he’d die twice or that Heaven would be his Junior prom.

Adam had only been dimly aware of what was going on after the fiasco in the beautiful room. He remembered Michael saying (no promising) that he would do all he could to keep the destruction of his vessel to a minimum. He remembered popping into the cemetery to see Sam (or had it been Lucifer). He remembered hearing Def Leppard’s “Rock of Ages” come out of nowhere and Dean apologized to him. Adam thought that maybe Michael felt a little bad for Dean, but then he got shut off from that feeling real quick. The very last thing he remembered was falling into complete and utter blackness.

Adam opened his eyes to see two Sams. Sam 1 was flat on his back bound to a bed of nails, his eyes forced open so he could see everything in the mirror that hung above him. Sam 2 had a maniacal grin and a very serrated knife. He was tearing pieces of flesh off of Sam. The anti-possession tattoo was gone, so were Sam’s nipples, and his navel by the time Adam had become aware.

Next were the toenails of Sam’s left foot, rapid fire. Then his right fingernails: bang bang bang. And yet, Sam never screamed. Adam was proud to be this man’s brother.

Out of nowhere came, “Keep watching little Adam, your turn’s next.” Michael was standing right next to Adam, who just realized he was strapped down to a metal table with his head in a way that made it impossible for him to look away.

LuciferSam took the knife to Sam’s right foot and scraped the skin off from heel to toe, and then it was the left bicep, and then the right kneecap. And still Sam wouldn’t scream.

LuciferSam was pissed, “Do you enjoy this?” He even had Sam’s voice which was creepy. “Are you a masochist? Well, are you? Not gonna answer? Well, maybe this will change your mind.”

The next thing Adam knew, LuciferSam had one of Sam’s testicles in his hand, and then he was tossing it in the air and catching it. Sam clenched his jaw, but didn’t scream. He didn’t scream when LuciferSam took the other testicle or his cock and was juggling them like some freak jester.

That had been the last straw for LuciferSam. He thrust the knife into Sam’s lung and walked away. “Your turn Mikey, maybe you’ll have better luck.”

Michael leaned down and whispered into Adam’s ear, “Scream pretty for me and I’ll make this short.”

Adam heard the buzzing before he felt anything. He gritted his teeth through the initial pain of the deli slicer, and saw the look of pride in Sam’s eyes as he didn’t scream when the blade started slicing his dick. Everything after that was a blur, and Adam wanted to pass out from the blood loss but something kept him from doing so.

Adam realized the buzzing had stopped midway through his heart, and that he and Sam were alone. “What’s going on?”

“They’re pissed that they’re stuck down here so they’re taking it out on us,” Sam said softly.

One tear fell down Adam’s cheek.

“I’m really proud of you Adam; I know you don’t really want to be a part of this family…” Sam started to say.

“Fuck what I said before. I’m honored to have you and Dean as brothers,” Adam nearly yelled in his excitement.

“Thank you, I know Dean feels the same way as me and we’re glad to have you too,” Sam whispered.

“So, this is what we get for stopping the apocalypse?” Adam asked.

“Yeah. As Dean would say, the job sucks, but it’s not without its perks,” Sam wanted to laugh.

“I fail to see the perk in being Prometheus, Sam,” Adam groaned.

“Usually when Dean said it he handed me a gun, but in this situation I think the perk is that we’ve got each other,” Sam sighed.

“True that.”

“Damn you sound just like Dean.”

“Tell me about Dad?” Adam asked softly.

Sam spent the rest of the time telling Adam about their father. Then Michael and Lucifer were there again. Michael was first up at bat.

Adam hadn’t noticed when exactly it happened, but he and Sam were all healed from the previous torture, so they were clean slates again. Adam found himself with his arms above his head, his wrists bound, and hanging from the binding. Michael pulled out a long ostrich feather, and nearly caressed Adam’s cheek with it. “Same deal as last time, boy. Scream pretty for me and I’ll make this short.”

Adam said nothing.

Michael blindfolded Adam, then took the feather, and then started tickling Adam’s feet. He fought the laughter. Next was under his arms and he still fought the laughter. But Michael wouldn’t let up he hit every normal ticklish spot on a human’s body: feet, underarms, backs of the knees, back of the neck, sides of the ribcage.

 

Then he went to more unusual spots. Adam nearly screamed out of sheer surprise when he felt the feather on his tank. Michael swept the feather up Adam’s spine, and Adam couldn’t suppress the shiver that ran through him. “That’s it,” Michael whispered, “just let go and enjoy this before it becomes painful, little one.”

Adam just exhaled and said nothing. Michael kept going and after about an hour it did become painful and Adam wanted to scream until his throat was dry, but he didn’t.

After another hour Michael got bored and pissed, and let Lucifer have his turn with Sam who was strapped much the same way as before. Lucifer didn’t say anything he just stuck a Bowie knife into Sam’s heart. Without missing a beat the next knife was in Sam’s left kidney, left lung, and left testicle.

Lucifer admired his handy work for a good half hour before proceeding to the liver, right kidney, right lung, and right testicle. Another half hour of self-worship of his knife skills passed before he plunged the last Bowie knife into Sam’s stomach and walked away.

When the archangels were gone again, Sam and Adam talked about their mothers while their bodies healed again. Knowing his relationship with his own mom, Adam felt sorry that Sam never knew Mary growing up.

The time flew as they reminisced and before they knew it their tormentors were back. There was something different this time, a different glint in their eyes. Sam and Adam were bound the same way Adam had been the last time only they weren’t blindfolded and they were facing each other.

Adam saw the cat o’ nine tails in Lucifer’s hand, and Sam saw the whip in Michael’s. Sam caught Adam’s attention and held his gaze. If the archangels thought torturing them together would break them, they underestimated the Winchesters again.

They were whipped and flailed until there was no skin left on their backs, asses, and legs. Then Michael and Lucifer switched, Sam getting the whip and Adam getting the cat o’ nine tails on their chests, torsos, arms, and finally genitals.

When Sam and Adam were nothing more than bleeding masses of bone and muscle, Michael and Lucifer decided they had had enough and walked away. They weren’t gone long though. This time when they came back they each carried a glowing, red hot iron. The fronts of Sam and Adam’s right hips instantly healed as Michael and Lucifer stalked their prey, and then there was searing hot, blinding pain as Sam and Adam were branded. Bust still, they gave no reaction to satisfy Michael and Lucifer.

When they were finally gone for good and it was just Sam and Adam still hanging by their wrists, Adam started silently crying. There was nothing really that Sam could say to make this better. He’d been in Adam’s place himself with the overwhelmingness of it all, so he just let Adam cry himself out and when Adam started to hiccup is when Sam asked, “So what did I get?”

“Huh?” was Adam’s stellar comeback.

“What’s my souvenir of our trip down under?” Sam asked again.

“Oh, the brand!” Adam finally caught on.

“Yeah.”

“You got a devil’s pitchfork. What about me?” Adam asked.

“You got a Crusade sword,” Sam told him.

“Do you think we’ll have these forever?” Adam was curious.

“Yup, but save your receipt, when we get out of here maybe there’ll be a way to get rid of them,” Sam said cheerfully.

“Do you think we will get out of here?” Adam needed to know.

“Just ‘cause I made Dean promise not to do anything doesn’t mean he’ll listen, he’ll justify it by saying that you didn’t make him promise anything. And I never made Bobby promise any such thing, so yeah we will get out of here,” Sam reasoned.

“How long…?” Adam was desperate.

“That kid, I just don’t know.”

“I don’t know how much more I can take, Sam.”

“All you have to do is hold it together when they’re here, I won’t think any less of you or anything like that ever. You’re already way tougher than I was at your age, so break down when you have to when it’s us. Don’t think about the pain if you can, I know it’s hard but if you can compartmentalize, do it. Time is different down here from what Dean told me so it’s gonna feel fucking longer than it is. We will get through this though, I promise you that,” Sam tried for reassuring.

“Is this the kind of stuff Dad taught you – anti-torture techniques and such?” Adam asked.

“Yeah,” Sam paused, “how to tough it out through the pain, how to shoot a gun, how to shoot a bow and arrow, how to recognize different supernatural creatures and the actual ways to kill them out of all the myth and lore, how to scam credit card companies, and hustle at pool and darts,” Sam recounted.

“So, yeah, you were right, seeing him once a year was better than seeing him the whole year. Did he ever do anything fun with you guys?” Adam sighed.

“No, but Dean made sure I still got to be a kid when he could. He took me to my first baseball game – Red Sox/Yankees at Fenway Park, and my first rock concert which was Metallica and Kid Rock. Dean made sure I ate breakfast before school, and that I did my home at night. He cooked dinner for me and took care of me when I got sick. After our Mom died he didn’t have anyone to do that for him,” Sam let out.

“I wish Dad knew about me earlier, that way you and Dean could’ve had a mom to take care of both of you. You were what seven when I was born? That would’ve taken a lot of pressure off Dean,” Adam exasperated.

“Maybe he would’ve finished high school,” Sam sighed out thirteen years of grief.

“He definitely would have. My mom valued education above almost everything else. She would have made him graduate,” Adam said proudly.

“What did she value most?” Sam asked intrigued by this woman he’ll never meet.

“Love. I may have cooked my own dinner and put myself to bed, but I knew I was loved,” Adam reflected.

“I think our mothers would’ve been great friends if they hadn’t been taken from us. I got to meet my mom when she was pregnant with Dean. She had so much love for our dad and us, I just wish…” Sam drifted off.

“I think they would’ve given John a run for his money,” Adam through out there.

If it was possible to die laughing, Sam and Adam would have done just that. It felt good to laugh with someone again. He missed Dean’s true laugh, Sam realized.

They continued to laugh and talk and they slept and ate, when food was provided. With just each other it was hard to determine the time, but it seemed like it had been a really long while before Michael and Lucifer came back.

When the archangels finally did come back, they changed their technique a bit. For the first time ever down in the cage, Sam and Adam were not together. The moment Sam was unbound he took a defensive stance. The room was dark – unnaturally dark. He eyes adjusted but not by much.

Sam must have stood in the dark for a good hour before the hairs on the back of his neck started to stand up on end, and that’s when he heard it – laughter. He figured it must have been Lucifer, but there was something off about the laugh.

Then a red orb popped out of the darkness, and Sam waited for it to do something. The orb didn’t move it just hung there in the darkness when another red orb joined it; then another one and another and another. Sam lost count somewhere, but figured there had to be about fifty floating red orbs surrounding him.

The orbs had started pushing in on Sam and he could hear more voices laughing that wrong laugh. Then in a flash it became bright. It took a minute for Sam’s eyes to adjust, and what he found when his eyes did adjust horrified him even worse than Lucifer himself. Sam was surrounded by fifty or so clowns.

There was nowhere to run and fuck if Sam was going to scream after everything else Lucifer and Michael had put them through. He didn’t know what to do, he couldn’t think straight. The clowns kept closing in, and now they were touching him, petting him, playing with him. One sprayed Sam’s face with one of those flowers; that clown was actually taller than Sam. The shortest clown was no more than four feet tall and he was playing with Sam’s cock making it bounce.

Every clown had something and was doing something to Sam. All Sam could do was clench his eyes shut, breathe, and try to go to a happy place until Lucifer got tired and stopped all of the clowns.

While Sam was dealing with clowns, Adam had his own fears to face. Adam was a little harder, he didn’t have one all encompassing, slightly irrational, fear like Sam’s clowns or Dean’s flying. Sure he wasn’t too enthusiastic about enclosed spaces or ghouls after his first experience with death, and granted he was plum scared out of his mind over the archangels, but given his experience there he kind of felt justified. It wasn’t all angels, Cas seemed descent, aloof and standoffish but not majorly dickish.

So while Sam was off dealing with a platoon of clowns, Adam found himself locked in a closet with a ghoul and an archangel that looked just like him. Adam was on the floor knees to his chest in the back corner of the closet. The ghoul was crouching in the other back corner, while Michael laid on his back, knees bent, across the side opposite the other two. Of the three Michael was the most comfortable.

If ever there was a time Adam was grateful for his mom dragging him to her yoga classes it was now. Adam sat there and focused on his breathing, steadying his heart rate while Michael got the biggest kick watching Adam try to keep calm, because all Michael had to do was twitch and Adam had to start all over again.

It turned out the ghoul was just as afraid of Michael as Adam was so Michael snapped him away. He was getting crampy and wanted more room to sprawl anyway. Adam was scared shitless but he wasn’t going to miss this opportunity.

“I’ve got just one question for you, Michael,” Adam said surprised by how un-shaky his voice was.

“Will you scream if I give you an answer?” Michael asked nonchalantly.

“Probably not,” Adam answered truthfully.

“Then I guess it depends on the question as to whether or not you get an answer,” Michael said.

“Why?” was all Adam asked.

“You’re gonna have to be more specific little one,” Michael said seemingly curious.

“Why do anything you’ve done?” Adam challenged.

“Because it was the will of Father,” Michael stated with finality.

“Bullshit,” Adam said clearly frustrated.

“What?” Michael asked not liking the fact his word was being challenged.

“That’s bullshit! Maybe everything up to you casting Lucifer into this cage in the first place was God’s will, but how can you lay there and tell me this was what your father wanted when he’s nowhere to be found and doesn’t want to be found. What kind of father lets his sons fight to the death, and then not be there for it? Our dads have a lot in common, other than being deadbeat dads,” Adam ranted.

“How dare you say that about the Almighty Creator of Heaven and Earth?” Michael screamed.

“Wow, really long way to say dad,” Adam chuckled.

“I do not have to put up with this. I am the Archangel Michael, the Prince of Heaven!” And with that little outburst Adam was back in the holding pen, this time with one foot shackled to the wall and the other shackled to Sam.

“So a kid, a ghoul, and an archangel, who all look alike, are trapped in a closet…”Adam starts.

“Oh dude, I’m sorry, but that’s a great start to a joke,” Sam chuckled.

They both break down in a fit of laughter, which made it that much more difficult to sit down. Finally they manage to sit down and calm down, when Sam asked, “So that’s really what Michael did to you?”

“Yeah, I guess he figured any one of those things wouldn’t be enough to bring me to my knees, but all three, that might have been a possibility,” Adam explained.

“How did you get back here so fast?” Sam was curious.

“Fast? Sam that felt like a fucking eternity,” Adam nearly cried.

“Yeah but in comparison to the other stuff they’ve done to us, this psychological warfare didn’t last long at all,” Sam reasoned.

“Ok, I give you that,” Adam agreed.

“So, did you scream?” Sam asked.

“Nope, I asked Michael a question,” Adam said.

“Really? That’s all it took – you asking that dick a question,” Sam was almost shocked.

“Well that and I called him on his bullshit answer and never backed down and that kinda seemed to piss him off,” Adam recalled.

“Well done little brother! So what was the question?” Sam was growing prouder of this kid.

“Why.”

“Adam, you are totally a Winchester!”

They fell asleep at some point, foot to foot. But that wasn’t how they woke up. During their unconscious state, Adam managed to maneuver himself around and snuggled up against Sam’s strong body.

That’s how they stayed until they were awoken by the stinging harshness of a fire hose dowsing them with freezing cold water. Both Sam and Adam started flailing, Adam got punched in the face and Sam got kicked in the balls before it was all said and done because the archangels couldn’t hang on to the hose any longer they were laughing so hard.

Next thing Sam and Adam knew they were hanging by their wrists again. Lucifer got the show started by dragging out a Judas cradle. Lucifer had the biggest shit-eating grin on his face when he saw realization dawn in Sam’s eyes. Adam was still clueless and the first thing to go through his mind was Why did Hell have pulleys? Then he watched as Lucifer hoisted Sam into the air.

When Sam was high enough, Michael took the rope from Lucifer and held Sam in place. Lucifer then positioned the pyramid looking thing under Sam. The next thing he did was slide a cock ring onto Sam, and then he took the rope back and started to lower Sam at an excruciatingly slow pace. Adam had thought at that moment that Lucifer was stronger than he looked, but he looked like Sam and Sam looked fucking strong.

Adam bit his lip so hard he drew blood when he saw Sam being penetrated by that thing. He could see the tears in Sam’s eyes as Lucifer let go of the rope and let gravity do its thing, but he knew Sam wouldn’t give Lucifer the satisfaction of seeing him cry.

Michael and Lucifer were giggling like schoolgirls as they watch the device disappear inside Sam’s ass and his dick grow impossibly hard and turn purple. Adam wanted to scream at the asshole angels, he wanted to lash out; he didn’t care what they’d do to him as long as they stopped hurting Sam like that. Adam didn’t know what was in store for him, and he didn’t care.

The next thing Adam knew he was back at his prom. He was making out with Kristin McGee under the bleachers while everyone else was dancing. He liked the thrill of the possibility of getting caught, but they were just kissing so no biggie.

Then she was pushing Adam down and undoing his tie, trailing kisses down his chest as she popped each button of the vest and dress shirt. Adam actually tried to stop her. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. He didn’t want his first time to be under the dirty bleachers with a girl he barely even liked, but she was a force not to be reckoned with.

She got him hard, she knew she could, but no matter what she did, she couldn’t get him to finish the job. When it was quite clear that she wasn’t going to get any satisfaction she got up, straightened out her dress, and huffed off.

That was when voice started announcing the prom court over the PA system. They did the royal court first, which included three princesses and three princes. Then the voice, which sounded an awful lot like Michael said, “And this year’s Porn King and Queen are Adam Milligan and Kristin McGee, come on up.”

There was a bright spotlight on Adam and behind the stage the DJ was on they were playing a video of what just happened under the bleachers. The entire junior and senior classes were laughing at him. But Adam saw this for what it really was, Michael trying to humiliate him in public when he would scream for him in private.

Adam made his way to the stage and received his crown and golden scepter shaped like a cock. Adam took everything graciously, even the whack on the ass Michael gave him and that just pissed Michael off royally.

The whole scene disappeared and Adam found himself shackled to Sam again and not a single archangel to be found. Adam could feel the heat radiating from Sam and knew he had at least a fever which meant he probably had an infection and it looked like Sam had been bleeding pretty badly before Adam got back.

Not knowing what else to do Adam looked around their pen, and to his surprise he found supplies in the corner. There was Tylenol and penicillin, a bowl of comfortably warm soapy water and soft fluffy towels, and ginger ale.

Adam was hesitant, figuring Michael and Lucifer must have drugged the ginger ale at least, but something in the back of his head pushed him on. He grabbed the supplies and brought them back over to Sam who was in and out of consciousness. Adam forced Sam to stay awake long enough to swallow the pills and then apologized if he hurt Sam, but he had to clean Sam’s wounds. Adam was so gentle with Sam that Sam had the fleeting thought of Adam making a great doctor someday, and then he was out again.

Adam took care of his brother as best he could and everyday he had fresh supplies. He wasn’t looking a gift horse in the mouth on this occasion. Michael and Lucifer left them alone for a good long while and Adam was sure it wasn’t out of concern for Sam. The question of what Michael and Lucifer did when Adam couldn’t see them did pop into his head a time or two.

Michael and Lucifer did however come back with a skip in their step and fire in their eyes. Sam was sitting against the wall when Adam took a protective stance over him. Lucifer just chuckled as he flung Adam away with nothing more than a flick of his finger.

Then Michael and Lucifer manhandled their humans over to these two tubs. Sam and Adam were blindfolded and dumped into the saline solution, completely stripping them of all their senses; which actually turned out to be a good thing for the boys.

Chapter 4  
I'm done with how it feels, spinning my wheels…  
I know my heart will never be the same  
But I'm telling myself I'll be okay  
Even on my weakest days  
I get a little bit stronger

 

Gabriel knew time was of the essence. Sam and Adam were coming up on half a decade in hell and even though he was pretty sure Sam could handle whatever his two dick brothers were dishing out, he was equally as sure that Adam could not. And now Adam was his responsibility.

He left just after dawn, having spent the better part of the night thinking out in Bobby’s junkyard. This was a delicate operation and he was going to need help that he didn’t know if he was going to get. He figured he’d start with the easier of the two and left Sioux Falls, South Dakota for Lawrence, Kansas, where Sam’s angel was waiting.

Once assigned, Sam’s angel hadn’t left the cemetery. The angel didn’t know if this was the place Sam would emerge from, but it was the place where Sam went into the cage, in the town where everything had started in the first place. So the angel figured it was as good a place to wait as any.

Standing vigil in the trees on the edge of the cemetery, the angel heard the all too familiar whoosh of feathers. “Hello Gabriel.”

“Hey ya, Remy. How’d you know it was me?”

“I mourned when you passed, did you not think I would rejoice when you were brought back to us?” Ramiel asked sincerely.

“Uh, I was kinda under the impression that y’all had forgotten about me by now,” Gabriel said a tiny bit shocked.

“I, for one, could never have forgotten you, Gabriel. You were one of very few who accepted my creation,” Ramiel replied.

“There was, nor is there, anything wrong with you Remy,” Gabriel stated emphatically.

“Thanks to your encouragement I was able to withstand the ridicule from our brothers and sisters, and was deeply honored when your fledgling bestowed this duty upon me. My only regret is that I myself am not strong enough to penetrate that level of Hell and retrieve Sam Winchester,” Ramiel nearly sighed.

“Great segue Remy,” Gabriel said while Ramiel quirked an eyebrow and tilted his head to the side. Gabriel didn’t bother to explain, “I’m here ‘cause I need your help.”

“Of course, any help I can be to an Archangel I am willing to serve you,” Ramiel answered immediately.

“Remy, didn’t this almost apocalypse teach you anything? You have a choice and you do not serve me. You can say no,” Gabriel sighed.

“I am well aware of my free will. The old language comforts me in this time of great change,” Ramiel said.

“Okay, so we’re on the same page,” Gabriel stated more than asked.

“I believe so.”

“Here’s the dealio Remy. I’m going down to the cage and I’m bringing back Sam and Adam…” Gabriel was cut off.

“How can I help? Tell me what I can do,” Ramiel interjected.

“I’m getting to that Remy.”

“Sorry for my outburst,” Ramiel sighed.

“Enthusiasm is good, don’t worry about it. Anyway, I can’t carry both, so I need you to come with me and be ready to pull Sam through the final layer,” Gabriel explained.

“I can do that,” Ramiel said slightly less enthused but still excited.

“Do you wanna take a minute to think about it?” Gabriel asked.

“I have had plenty of time to think, brother. Now you give me the opportunity to do, well I’m gonna take it,” Ramiel explained.

“Okie dokie then, I’ve got one more person I need to talk too, so let’s go, Remy,” Gabriel said.

“Where are we going, brother?” Ramiel asked.

“We are going to Darlig Ulv Stranden,” Gabriel answered.

“Why?” Ramiel persisted.

“I need to see a Pagan about a knife named Famine,” Gabriel sidestepped. There was a flash of confusion on Ramiel’s face, and then that angelic signature head-tilt. “I need to see my daughter Hel who I haven’t seen in ages, and was never a very good father too, and ask her for her help as well.”

“She is your daughter. She will help her father,” Ramiel supposed.

“Ha! You do not know my daughter Hel,” Gabriel laughed.

“No I don’t. I very much look forward to meeting her.”

Gabriel just rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers. The next thing Ramiel knew, it was freezing cold, “Your daughter lives here?”

“Not exactly.” Gabriel looked around the square, then finally picked a direction and started walking down the street. Ramiel followed. This was not a part of the world Gabriel felt comfortable in. He kept his focus narrowed on the task at hand and kind of forgot about his companion, who seemed quite content just to admire the surroundings as they bustled through the streets and out of the town proper.

At the center of the forest outside of town Gabriel found what he was looking for – a group of trees laid out in a pentacle. He stood in the middle, dragging Ramiel with him, chanted something in a very old dialect of what is now Scandinavian, and then everything started spinning.

The next thing Ramiel knew, Gabriel was being attacked by a woman at least twice as tall as Gabriel, wearing an eye patch and had the most interesting skin coloring Ramiel had ever seen. Ramiel was just about to jump to Gabriel’s defense when the female squealed, “I’ve missed you, Daddy!”

“Uh, Hel, could you put me down? I think you’re about to crack a rib,” Gabriel grumbled breathily.

“Oh, sorry. I was just so excited to see you again,” Hel admitted.

“I gotta admit, that wasn’t the reaction I was expecting to get,” Gabriel admitted.

“Why?” Hel asked with the angel head tilt.

“You’re here. You’ve been stuck here as Odin’s punishment to me, I kinda figured you hated me,” Gabriel confessed.

“I despise Odin. You are who you are and if he deemed that you needed punishment, fine, however he should not have taken it out on innocent children. And I do believe he has learned that lesson,” Hel reacted.

“What does that mean, Hel?” Gabriel asked a little heatedly.

“Well, even though it was your brother Lucifer who killed Odin, he still had to go through me, and I am a very good teacher. Who’s your friend?” Hel asked decisively changing the subject.

“This is Ramiel, and we will talk about this later,” Gabriel admonished.

“Yes, Daddy. I’m pleased to make your acquaintance, Ramiel. Welcome to my realm,” Hel said as she shook Ramiel’s hand.

“Thank you and I am pleased to meet you too, Hel,” Ramiel returned.

“Can I call you Uncle Remy?” Hel asked boldly.

“Hel!” Gabriel yelled beside himself.

“No, Gabriel, it’s alright. In angelic culture we are all brothers and sisters with one father, so yes Hel, you may call me Uncle Remy but that will only fit sometimes,” Ramiel said pleasantly.

“Oh, I need to hear this story, I bet it’ll be fascinating,” Hel said eagerly.

“You see, when our Father created…” Ramiel began, but was immediately interrupted by Gabriel. “Hel, we actually need your help. Well, I…I need your help.”

Hel was not happy, and when Hel wasn’t happy things started shaking. Cracks had appeared in the mirror and vases of Hel’s foyer, when Gabriel came out of his shock and said, “Sorry Pumpkin, I promise you can hear all about Uncle Remy, but I need a favor. I’m going down to the cage and retrieving Sam and Adam from the clutches of your douchiest uncles. But, I can’t carry both all the way back to the surface. If you’d be willing, I would very much appreciate you bringing Sam back here once I pull him out and from here Remy will guide him back to the surface.”

“I’m Sam Winchester’s guardian angel,” Ramiel interjected, hoping to help diffuse the situation.

“And I’m Adam’s,” Gabriel acknowledged. “Your Uncle Cas seems to think I won’t fuck up his life like I did with all my kids’ lives.”

“Daddy, we all turned out just fine. And of course I’ll help you, as we all have tried to help Sam and Adam,” Hel disclosed.

“What are you talking about?” Ramiel asked.

“Let’s just say, it wasn’t Michael or Lucifer who left clean bandages and food day after day,” Hel said with a sad twinkle in her eye.

“But what do you mean by that?” Gabriel asked, but then it was too late to get an answer as Hel had already opened a portal from her realm to the Christian hell. Gabriel took his baby’s hand, and Hel looked down at her father, smiled a sweet smile, and then winked as they walked through.

They walked up to the cage and that’s where Hel stopped, she was already treading on thin ice, not having expressly been invited there by whoever the actual ruler of Hell was while Lucifer was indisposed. She did however get a glimpse of this episode’s torture and her heart sank.

Gabriel liked to make an entrance, so white light exploded in and around the cage temporarily blinding Michael and Lucifer; he grabbed Sam and handed him over to Hel. She held on to the great Sam Winchester tightly but not too tight. Gabriel grabbed Adam and backed out of the cage. When he and Adam were safe on the other side of the cage the light dissipated, revealing Michael and Lucifer bound by their wrists and ankles to the walls opposite each other, spread eagle, with permanent rock hard erections and no way to get themselves off. Gabriel had thought to gag them but figured the bickering would be better.

Then Gabriel and Hel were high-tailing it back to her portal and her realm with their precious cargo. As soon as they were through, Hel literally tossed Sam to Ramiel and was closing the portal.

She gave Ramiel a quick hug, hugged her father longer, and then nodded to Gabriel. He nodded back to the beautiful and strong woman he had helped create. They both knew he would be back, but it was going to take time to get Adam adjusted, and then he snapped his fingers and Hel was alone again.

For Gabriel and Ramiel everything started spinning again. When they emerged back in the forest, Ramiel, Sam, and Adam all made their feelings about the last leg of their trip known by relieving their stomachs of any contents they may have contained.

Gabriel dropped to Adam’s side and whispered words of comfort to the young man. Then he whispered words in Enochian and wiped all physical memory of the cage from Adam’s mind. The last thing Gabriel did was snap up clothes for his charge, as by that time Adam had started shaking.

Ramiel had recovered faster and was whispering the words of comfort and had procured clothing for Sam. Gabriel went to Sam and chanted in Enochian a spell that would release Sam from any physical or emotional trauma from the experience. For Sam it would be like he had read it in a book.

Ramiel and Gabriel finally removed the blindfolds from their respective charges. Sam was hesitant around Ramiel, but figured if he had helped Gabriel than he must be okay. Poor Adam freaked and ran to Sam’s side. He kept enough self-control to keep himself from grabbing Sam’s hand, but only just enough.

“Hey, Adam it’s okay, little bro. This is Gabriel, and even though he can be a major jackass, he helped us out and died because of it. Which reminds me, later Gabriel you’re gonna tell me how your back. And I don’t know who this one is, but if he’s here with Gabriel I hope that means he’s one of the good guys.”

“Heya Gigantor,” Gabriel waved.

“My name is Ramiel. Castiel has bestowed upon me the honor of being your guardian angel, Sam Winchester,” Ramiel stated diplomatically.

“Oh, uh hi Remy,” Sam was flabbergasted.

“And you’re kinda stuck with me Adam,” Gabriel whispered.

“Whoa, what?” Sam asked for Adam.

“Cas in his infinite wisdom lured me back for the purpose of being Adam’s guardian angel,” Gabriel continued.

“Thanks, but no thanks. I’ve had enough of angels to last me a lifetime,” Adam was emphatic.

“That is true, too bad you just died, ‘cause now doesn’t count anymore,” Gabriel cracked.

“Huh?” Sam and Adam said together.

“Did you think you were alive down there?” Gabriel asked sarcastically.

“What I believe Gabriel is trying to tell you both is that for the last month you have been dead, since no living human can pass into Hell,” Ramiel tried to explain.

“I was fucking dead AGAIN!” Adam barked.

“You got it bucko,” and Gabriel seemed almost concerned.

“Fuck me! What did I do to deserve this?” Adam sighed.

“You did nothing Adam, except share the same father as me and Dean,” Sam said trying for comforting.

And with that Gabriel snapped them out of Darlig Ulv Stranden and back to Bobby’s house. Well, Sam and Adam got snapped to Bobby’s front porch, while Gabriel and Ramiel had to wait at the road to be let in.

When everyone was back in Bobby’s tiny study, Gabriel made the introductions, since standing over by Bobby was one more figure who turned out to be Zagzagel, Bobby’s new guardian. Gabriel followed his nose to the kitchen where there was a BLT waiting for him. And Bobby passed out glasses of whiskey, while he caught the boys up on what they missed since dropping into the hole.

Sam was very happy that Dean did what he had asked and went to Lisa and Ben, but he missed his brother terribly. Adam didn’t know what to make of anything, he wasn’t raised in this life, and he didn’t have any connections to anyone but Sam; so he went to Sam’s side. Sam clunked their whiskey glasses together and together the shot the burning liquid down.

Sam and Adam holed up with Bobby while they adjusted back to life above ground. They both remembered what happened in the pit in a purely bad dream kind of way. Intellectually they knew they were there and what happened to them, but they didn’t remember the feeling of any of it. They did retain their connection, Adam was a Winchester now and nothing was ever going to change that.

The angels had left, but would pop in from time to time, mostly it was Remy and Ziggy as everyone had started to call Bobby’s angel. Gabriel checked in by phone and only really talked to Bobby. He was still uncomfortable with being Adam’s guardian.

After about a week of hiding and wallowing, Sam and Adam started to figure out what they were going to do. For Sam it was easy – he was going to go back to hunting. Alone mostly and going out with Bobby. He couldn’t partner up with anyone else for any length of time. Adam wanted to go back to medical school. Obviously he couldn’t go back to the college he had been going to since to them he’d been dead for two years.

The great thing about having Winchesters for brothers is they’re resourceful fuckers. Sam set him up with a couple of credit cards and a forged transcript of his actual grades and some grades not so much. Then Sam got Adam transferred to New York University Medical School, starting that fall.

Adam Milligan was now Adam Winchester from Sioux Falls, South Dakota; a college senior with a GPA of 3.42.

 

Chapter 5  
My life is a stereo, how loud does it go?  
What songs do I know? What ever happened to my plans?  
Whatever happened to the life I thought I had?

 

Sam did a couple of jobs for Bobby, but mostly he hung around helping out with the research. When Sam was gone Adam had horrible nightmares, so he didn’t like to be away from Adam for too long.

Because Adam and his mom had originally just gone missing no one knew what to do about the house and everything inside. The courts held it in probate while they tried to locate next of kin.

Sam and Adam made two clandestine trips to Wisconsin so Adam could grab anything he wanted to keep. Adam told Sam he didn’t want the house, just a few things of his mom’s and a few things of theirs that were sentimental to him.

After the second trip and Adam was sure he had everything he wanted, they called Gabriel. They had him alter reality to look like John and he filled out all the court papers relinquishing the house to the bank with all contents inside to be sold off or donated to charity.

If Sam and Adam had thought that Gabriel would stick around after that they were surely mistaken. As they waited down the block from the courthouse, Sam got a call from Gabriel who was in Hawaii already.

A few weeks after the court drama, Sam was out on a job. The problem became in that what he ended up hunting wasn’t what he went out to hunt and he was going to be gone for a lot longer than anticipated. Adam could get through the first couple of days without Sam before the nightmares came back so horribly unbearable.

Bobby’ll give Adam this: he did a lot better than Bobby thought he would when Sam didn’t come home by the end of the third day. Adam got through that night and the next and then everything he’d seen and been a part of assaulted his sleeping mind.

Sam’ll give Bobby this: he lasted a lot longer than Sam thought he would. Bobby tried every spell, every amulet, everything he could think of to drive the dreams away. The only thing he absolutely would not try was the Silene Capensis. That time in Philly left a sour taste in his mouth for the stuff. Bobby even tried drinking the boy so far under the table that Adam had a better chance of reaching China, but still the nightmares came.

Midway through the fourth night of nightmares Bobby broke down and called out to Ziggy who in turn called out to Gabriel. “What’s so Daddamn important that I couldn’t finish my Thai massage?” Gabriel demanded.

Bobby just glared at the archangel. “What?” Gabriel demanded again, and no sooner had Gabriel closed his mouth then Adam screamed from whatever image was haunting him that night. Gabriel didn’t say anything further he just snapped his fingers and appeared next to Adam’s bed.

He sat down on the edge and started whispering words in Enochian. They flowed so fluidly from Gabriel’s mouth that one would’ve thought he was singing Adam a lullaby. When Adam calmed down and his breathing evened out, Gabriel snapped up a ridiculously comfy chair and spent the rest of the night nodding off in it, but also making sure his charge was sleeping soundly.

Adam woke the next morning to find a massive pair of gorgeous wings nestled in a chair that would look out of place in Liberace’s house. When the feathers started rustling, Adam quickly rolled over and pretended to be asleep. He heard Gabriel move to the far corner and then he heard a moan that no human could make. Gabriel stretched out one wing and then the other and boy had it felt good.

When he was done stretching more like a cat than a bird, he tickled Adam’s cheek with one of his feathers and promptly made his wings disappear. Adam languidly stretched his arms up over his head, and there was a flash of lust in Gabriel’s eyes at the sight of his charge’s stomach when Adam’s shirt rode up. Then Adam rolled onto his side propping his head in his hand to face the archangel, “What are you doing here?”

“How’d you sleep?” Gabriel countered.

“I asked you first,” Adam said with a raspyness to his voice that was driving the archangel insane.

“Fine. Bobby called Ziggy and Ziggy called me,” Gabriel said praying that this conversation would end quickly.

“Why?” Adam asked completely clueless to what was happening with the archangel.

“Nuh-uh. You asked I answered, now I ask and you answer,” Gabriel said hoping he sounded like his normal trickster self.

“Fine,” Adam laughed. “I think I had a nightmare, but I feel like I just woke up from the best night’s sleep I’ve ever had. So why did Ziggy call you?”

“Bobby was at his wit’s end with you and your nightmares, thought I could help,” Gabriel said cursing Cas because if this conversation went on any longer he was going to be at his wit’s end.

“Thank you,” Adam said simply and sincerely.

“No hay de que kiddo,” Gabriel said with a fake smile.

“Thank you, Gabriel,” Adam repeated.

And with that Gabriel disappeared. For the rest of the time Adam was at Bobby’s he spent his days learning what he should have learned the last two years he was dead. Turns out if you’re going to crash course yourself through half of college there are no better tutors than Sam, Bobby, Remy, and Ziggy.

Remy was good at math and science, Ziggy had philosophy down pat, Bobby with all his books got history, and Sam got English. Adam never had better teachers than those four, he was actually kind of sad to have to go back to school.

Remy and Ziggy were a great help having gone ahead and scouted out an appropriate place for Adam to live. They had it all furnished and warded by the time Sam and Adam showed up. The angels actually had good taste, even if there wasn’t much to do with a studio apartment.

“It’s wonderful, thanks guys,” Adam said truly appreciative.

“Our pleasure Adam…” Ziggy started to say when he got cut off.

“Nate said to zone the areas, bedroom, living room, and study area,” Remy started excitedly.

“So, we got you a full size bed with two extra-long storage drawers underneath, and put it up against the wall. We had issues agreeing over bedding, so you have a forest green fitted sheet and pillow cases…” Ziggy was saying when he got cut off again.

“And a dark blue top sheet and comforter. The spare bedding is in one of the drawers underneath the bed. At the end of the bed is a black steamer trunk for more storage,” Remy added.

“Nate also said to keep the color scheme similar so the entire room is so jarring, so we kept to shades of blue and green,” Ziggy said.

“We got you a full-size sofa in a nice neutral shade with blue and green throw pillows. Nate doesn’t like small furniture and we figured if Sasquatch ever crashed it might be more comfortable for him,” Remy explained.

“Nate also says to have a glass coffee table as they open up the space, but we wanted you to be able to use the underneath for storage, so we had one of the art students make a table top of glass, crystal, and mirror tiles, and we put blue and green canvas boxes underneath,” Ziggy expounded.

“The last thing for the “living area” is your entertainment center,” Remy said complete with quotey fingers.

“Now we figured black would be okay, because your headboard, footboard, and trunk are black, so it like anchors the room,” Ziggy supposed.

“You’ve got a twenty seven inch television, three disc CD/AM-FM radio/tape player stereo with surround sound and a DVR DVD player, and everything is hooked through the stereo so you can enjoy movie theater quality sound,” Remy said excitedly even if he didn’t quite understand what he said.

“We didn’t know what kind of movies you enjoyed, so we tried for a selection, but you can look at those later,” Ziggy added.

“Off to the side is the last area…” Remy started.

“We got a black desk, a bookcase unit, a laptop, and a chair…” Ziggy said having cut off Remy who then went and cut off Ziggy.

“We tried out many chairs. This was the only one we both enjoyed,” Remy finished.

Adam was truly amazed at everything the angels had done for him, it was more that he could have ever hoped for, and gave a big hug to each angel.

“I’ve just got one question for you guys – who the hell is this Nate guy?” Sam asked hoping to Cas that he was just some Best Buy clerk and not a demon in disguise or something worse.

“Nate Berkus,” both angels said at the same time in the same definitive manner as if that answered everything. Sam responded with a dumbfounded look, and Adam did his best to hide the smirk and hold back his laughter.

“He is blessed with a great sense of inner wisdom, you really should make him your leader,” Ziggy calmly replied.

Sam was still dumbfounded, but it was getting harder to hold back the laughter for Adam.

“He’s only Oprah’s interior design guru,” Remy stated emphatically.

He couldn’t do it anymore, Adam busted out laughing. When he was only hiccupping he said, “Those were my mom’s favorite episodes of Oprah. Thank you guys so much.”

“No need to thank us Adam, it was a great learning experience for us. Now we leave you in Sam’s capable hands to settle in,” Ziggy said as a way of goodbye, and with that both angels were gone in a whoosh.

Adam and Sam explored the other two rooms on their own. The kitchen was completely decked out in Rachael Ray cookware with a fully stocked refrigerator and fully stocked cabinets. The bathroom had the essentials and both Adam and Sam laughed hysterically when they opened up the cupboard that had been added and found all green and blue towels.

When they calmed down enough Sam ordered pizza from this place he and Dean had tried three years before, and luckily enough the phone number was still the same. The pizza arrived, Adam got the beer out of the fridge, and they settled down to watch a movie on Adam’s new entertainment center.

The angels loaded Adam up with the widest selection of movies known to man. There were all the Indiana Jones movies, all the Star Wars movies, all the Star Trek movies, the Bourne movies, every single Disney cartoon, all the Bond films, and Black Swan.

“Whataya in the mood for little bro?” Sam asked.

“Well, I actually haven’t seen most of these,” Adam answered.

“What? How? What?” Sam asked extremely shocked.

“Uh, Mom wasn’t big into sci-fi, so no Star Wars or Star Trek. I saw the last Indy movie and the beginning of Temple of Doom where the chick sings in Chinese. Mom was like in love with Matt Damon and Daniel Craig so I got to see all the Bourne movies and the last two Bonds, and of course most of the Disney cartoons,” Adam explained.

“Huh, I think I kinda understand how Dean felt all those times I didn’t understand his pop culture references, but in my defense I was never as bad as Cas. Ok, well Dean would kill me if I didn’t start you off right, so Star Wars Episode Four: A New Hope it is then,” Sam decided.

They marathoned the original trilogy before they both decided to call it a night. When morning came Adam woke to find Sam was gone and note on the fridge – ‘Got a call from an old friend upstate, sorry I had to leave like this but the job calls. S.’Adam figured he knew who the upstate friend was, after all he had read every Winchester Gospel Mr. Edlund had written. Sarah Blake must have figured out something else in the auction house was haunted.

Adam easily fell into a routine: classes in the mornings and early afternoons, study, watch a movie, and go to bed. Three nights a week Adam worked for a local EMT company. He didn’t get to do much at first, but being pre-med they gave him a chance and he learned quickly.

The first semester flew by for Adam and before he knew it, it was Christmas and he was back in South Dakota with his family, well most of it anyway. Dean called Christmas morning and got the shock of a lifetime when he heard a voice he could never forget scream “JERK” in the background. They each took turns talking to Dean who was pissed to all Heaven and ecstatically happy at the same time. The phone call made Adam feel better too.

Food was eaten, drink was drunk, and presents were opened; with the exception of five gifts for Gabriel who never showed. Adam was starting to think he had done something to the archangel.

New Year’s came and went and it was time for Adam to head back to school. The routine was basically the same as the classes were continuations of the ones he took the semester before, with one exception. Adam took one class for himself to fill out his full-time status schedule, Basic Photography, and he really enjoyed the class. Adam had always loved taking pictures, but now he got to develop them. It made him really happy to drive the process from beginning to end.

So when spring break came, Adam stayed in New York City taking on extra shifts at the EMT company, and walking around taking roll after roll of photos.

It was the middle of the break and Adam was on his way to the Wonderland statues. There was a tunnel and when he came out the other end it didn’t look like Central Park anymore. In fact it looked a little like Wonderland, at least in the vibrant color department.

Adam was stuck and as he started freaking out his vision turned purple and he started gliding. When he stopped he took a few deep calming breaths and looked around. First off he looked like a reject from Blue Man Group, and second everything was candy.

A strange calm came over Adam as the realization that he was in Candyland washed over him. He knew a lot about Loki and Anansi as Bobby had a ton of books on them, so he figured he just needed to keep calm and carry on with the game.

He was at the beginning heading to the Gingerbread Tree when his vision went blue this time and he glided two blocks. Then it was blue vision again and gliding over seven blocks; now Adam was on the other side of the Gingerbread tree, heading towards Peppermint Forest and Mr. Mint.

Red vision and three blocks later Adam’s on the edge the forest and being handed a bag of candy canes. Green vision and five blocks puts Adam next to something Adam never realized before. Mr. Mint keeps some strange company. Really, red beavers? But if candy canes are trees then beavers themselves aren’t so strange, Adam thought.

First time for the yellow vision which made him glide four blocks, and that put Adam on the south side of dastardly Lord Licorice’s forest. More purple vision and eleven blocks, Must have been a double purple. Adam was one block away from gumdrop pass and cross eyed Jolly.

Purple again, and as Adam glided the six blocks Jolly gave him a bag full of gumdrops. He was munching on a couple of gumdrops when his vision went red and white. “Fuck! I gotta go back, what the hell! Why am I even here? I know Dean says it all the time, but really I am not a dick!” Adam screamed as he took the second bag of candy canes from Mr. Mint.

First orange vision moves him five squares, then green seven squares, and the green again and six squares. This puts Adam back at Jolly and another bag of gumdrops. So that’s two bags of gumdrops and two bags of candy canes for those keeping score.

On his next turn Adam’s vision goes a funky tan color, and then he’s zooming past Lord Licorice and stopping at Gramma Nutt. She gives him a jar of peanut butter, and as Adam waits he pets the peanut shaped pooch. His next turn didn’t get him far, moving two squares when his vision went red, so he played with the pooch some more.

The next move was a big one as it was double red so Adam glided over twelve blocks and was on the edge of Lollipop Woods. Double blue, but that leaves him stuck on a licorice spot. Blue again and he moves seven blocks and gets a bag of lollipops. The third blue in a row is another double blue and Adam moved over thirteen blocks, his biggest move forward yet.

And as the saying goes: all good things must come to an end. Adam’s vision went kaleidoscopic, and he’s being dragged back to Jolly and yet another bag of gumdrops. Adam started to feel like he was never going to get out of Candyland, especially when his next move was only block to blue.

Two blocks to green, and then Adam was stuck on the red licorice spot but luckily enough again it was double red so he didn’t really lose a turn. Red again moved six blocks, ten blocks to orange, and six blocks to orange again where Gramma Nutt had another jar of peanut butter for him.

Nine blocks to red, eleven blocks to green, nine blocks to purple, and Princess Frostine gave Adam another bag of lollipops. Having decided to stop whimpering and make the most of the situation, Adam started flirting with the Princess. Turned out the Princess was really sweet and not the cold bitch one would think, although she didn’t really have anything in common with Adam it was fun to flirt.

Eight blocks to yellow, eleven blocks to purple, and six blocks to purple again. Adam was so close he could taste it, or it could have been the candy bars Gloppy gave him. Next was ten blocks to green, and Adam’s palms were sweating as he waited for his next turn. Having prepped himself for being dragged back to whomever, Adam didn’t realize his vision had gone red until he was shaking hands with King Kandy.

Gabriel was amazed and proud at Adam. His charge was tough and smart. He watched as Adam had calmed himself down and just went with the flow of the game. He had actually felt bad for the poor bastard as Adam got dragged back the second time; and a pang of something flashed through him as Adam and Princess Frostine flirted, but he ignored it. And as soon as Adam shook hands with the king, he snapped his fingers and they were back in Central Park.

Gabriel watched Adam take pictures of the Wonderland statues and made sure he got home safely as it was dark and Adam didn’t have Sam and Dean’s training. When Adam was safe and sound and watching Black Swan, Gabriel disappeared.

Then it was May and Adam’s graduation, and no one was going to miss that. Adam knew exactly where his family was as he walked into the theater, no one’s family was louder and Adam loved it. He was a little shocked to see exactly who was in the audience though. Not only were Sam and Bobby there, the only ones he really invited, but Dean, Lisa, and Ben rounded out the human contingent, and then there was Remy, Ziggy, Cas, and Gabriel. Adam was shocked to see Gabriel most of all, and his heart felt a little fluttery at the sight of the archangel.

More catcalls and whistles and cheers as Adam received his degree and his ears picked out the voice so rich and sweet right away. When all the pomp and circumstance was over, everyone went back to Adam’s tiny studio apartment, where it seemed Remy and Ziggy had been cooking.

Ben and Lisa seemed a bit out of sorts, which Adam realized was probably because the only person they knew other than Dean was Sam. So, Adam went over and introduced himself and then everyone else as Sam and Dean were huddled together in the corner of the kitchen with beers in their hands.

The Braedons were more at ease after that, and then Adam handed over the Xbox controller and Ben was all sorts of good. Lisa made her way to the kitchen and was helping Remy and Ziggy with the finishing touches on the meal, and by the end of the night Remy and Lisa would be the next best thing to BFF’s.

Cas and Gabriel stuck pretty close together the whole time and really only spoke to each other. Lisa had dragged Cas out into the hallway and when they came back in Cas was visibly more relaxed. Gabriel however, looked like he couldn’t get out of there fast enough and that hurt Adam just a little.

Dinner was served buffet style and they all sat wherever they could find a spot. It turned out the angels could indeed cook, and everyone had a good time eating and drinking. After dinner, sleeping arrangements were made as everyone had decided they were going to stay over and help Adam pack up everything and load it into Bobby’s truck and Sam’s car so it could all be stored back at Bobby’s.

That morning they started with the furniture, and thanks to Gabriel that went a hell of a lot less complicatedly then it could have, as he just snapped each piece into Bobby’s truck. The small appliances went into Sam’s trunk, and the boxes with the dishes and other breakables went into Sam’s backseat.

Everything else went wherever they could fit it, even into a third car, a 1977 Trans Am “Special Edition.” Bobby handed Adam the keys and was met with a dumbstruck look on Adam’s face. “Gabriel got her running. I didn’t even know I had all the parts to fix her up, and Sam and Dean prettied her up for you,” Bobby explained.

“Well, Sam supervised as I prettied her up, you don’t ever wanna let Sam near the fine tuning of a precision piece of machinery such as a classic car,” Dean chimed in.

“Hey, I can change my own oil!” Sam defended. Everyone else laughed.

Goodbyes were said, and Adam got hugs from Remy, Ziggy, Lisa and Ben who was grateful to have another uncle. There was a punch on the shoulder from Dean, and a firm handshake from Cas. Gabriel was nowhere to be found.

 

Chapter 6  
We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl  
year after year…

 

If there was one thing Adam knew for sure it was that he wasn’t going to be a doctor, he just didn’t know how to tell everyone else. A couple of weeks into “summer vacation” Adam asked Sam if he could go out on a job with him. Bobby and Sam taught Adam how to shoot and Remy and Ziggy taught how to fight with a blade. When Sam was satisfied enough that Adam would have his back he took Adam along. The next hunt turned out to be your everyday vengeful spirit. They figured out who it was, dug up the grave salted and burned the bones. On the way back to Bobby’s Sam pulled the ’71 Buick Riviera over to the side of the road, got out and leaned against his car. Adam followed suit, after grabbing two beers out of the cooler in the backseat.

“What’s up?” Adam asked.

“I could ask you the same thing Adam. What happened to being a doctor? You weren’t born into this life like me and Dean, and it took Dean over thirty years to get out. I bitched and moaned about wanting to be normal and got out at eighteen, but I came back and I’ve had plenty of opportunities to get out again, but I don’t want too. This is who I am, but you Adam, you’ve got a chance to do something with your life. You’ve gotten a third chance at life and the only two people who can say that are me and Dean, but we’re screwed and we know it. Something will come along and drag Dean back into this life and I just pray to Cas that it holds off until Ben graduates high school. Go back to school Adam, finish becoming a doctor, find a mate, have 2.5 kids. Have a nice long life instead of wondering if you’ll live to see the next year,” Sam lectured.

“Sam, you’re my brother and I love you, and we’ve been through a lot, but you’re not my mother. I don’t want to spend another four years in school when I can be helping people now. I don’t know if I’m cut out for hunting but I wanna try and if it turns out I’m no good in the field then I’ll go back to being an EMT,” Adam responded.

“Promise?” Sam asked.

“Yes, Sam I promise,” Adam answered.

Feeling a miniscule better, Sam got back into his car and finished driving back to Bobby’s. One good thing about having Adam for a partner – they shared the same taste in music. When they got back, Sam started doing research for their next hunt, and Adam, well Adam continued his own research he had started during spring break. He never told anyone about his adventure in Candyland. He didn’t get hurt so he didn’t want to make them worry unnecessarily besides it was kind of fun, it reminded him of when he was little and his mother would play it for hours with him. Adam needed to keep this a secret for him because along with the worry would be questions and Adam couldn’t even explain to himself why he needed to find this trickster let alone to Sam or Bobby. He scoured the internet looking for out of the ordinary deaths, well even more out of the ordinary for his family’s business. When he caught wind of something he’d go check it out otherwise he was going on jobs with Sam and honing his skills. Dean was furious when they finally told him about Adam hunting, and Lisa just told them that if she ever found out that they were within a hundred mile radius of her house and they didn’t crash with her and dean she’d kill them all herself. Sam and Adam just smiled and said yes ma’am. Dean and Sam understood though – the need to walk in your father’s footsteps, to try and understand not only him but where you came from.

It took a while but Adam finally started seeing a half assed pattern. He went with Sam a few more times when he asked if he could do a hunt on his own. Bobby and Sam were hesitant to say the least but they agreed and secretly sent their angels to keep an eye on Adam. Adam went back to New York and holed up a hundred miles from Central Park waiting for the freaky stuff to start happening, but after a week nothing did.

He drove to New York City and took watch of anything odd with that same one hundred mile radius from Central Park. Something was wrong, Adam just knew it. Three weeks went by and nothing suspicious and tricksterlike was happening. Could Adam have been seeing patterns where there weren’t any? He sat around for another week waiting; there had to be something to this, there just had to be.

After that last week Adam decided he was going to head down and see Dean, he didn’t really want to head back to South Dakota and Bobby and Sam, especially Sam, and have to explain what he’d been doing for a month.

If Dean and Lisa had one thing in common it was that they both were mother hens. The first thing Dean did after opening the door was to check Adam up and down for gunshots, blood, knife wounds, bumps, bruises, and the like. The first thing Lisa did was make Adam eat and when Ben got home from baseball practice he got roped into Call of Duty before being forced to eat again.

Ben was doing homework and Lisa was relaxing with a romance novel while Dean and Adam sat on the porch drinking beer. In true Winchester style they talked about everything but the pink elephant and Adam was ok with that.

“So how did ya know about the car?” Adam asked.

“Sammy told me about your conversations down there – still won’t tell me what they did to you guys but when you’re ready I’m here. Anyway he said Smokey and the bandit was your mom’s favorite guilty pleasure movie and Gabriel had fixed one up so I made it look like the one in the movie. It was either that Trans Am or a ’82 Trans Am as the Buick had to go to Sam,” Dean explained.

“But how did Gabriel know to fix up those three cars? The ’82 Trans Am was KITT and I loved KITT and Knight Rider,” Adam asked.

“I just chalked it up to archangel know-it-all,” Dean said.

“Maybe…”

“What?” was Dean’s turn to ask.

“It just seems like he wants nothing to do with me so why bother fixin’ up a car that has special meaning to me, for me?” Adam wondered.

“Hmm ya got a point there kid. He was kinda antsy at your graduation and we had a hard time keeping him away from us before he died. Maybe death changed him. Huh?” Dean

“What?” Adam

“I was just wondering where archangels go when they die,” Dean

“Huh?” Adam repeated.

Dean stayed up after everyone else had gone to bed and called Sam.

“Hey Dean,” Sam said sleepily.

“What’s up with Gabriel?” Dean asked right away.

“I’m fine. No you didn’t wake me up. What can I do for you Dean?” Sam

“You can tell me what the fuck is going on with Gabriel?” Dean repeated.

“I don’t know I’m not the archangel’s babysitter,” Sam replied.

“Is that Dean,” Remy asked.

“O, Sammy you hound, but why are you talking about me, that’s bad pillow talk?” Dean laughed.

“I wasn’t talking about you, you called me remember?” Sam said getting a little more agitated.

O yeah, well something crawled up Gabriel’s ass and he’s taking it out on the kid,” Dean

“You should talk to Cas, Dean,” Remy

“Remy, is that you? Wow, Sammy isn’t that like a one way ticket back down under?” Dean

“Worth every dime if it is,” Sam

Before Dean could say anything there was dial tone. He figured he might as well get it over and done with so he called on Cas. He waited and waited and was half way through his third beer sitting on the back porch with his head down when he heard the unforgettable whoosh specific to Cas’ wings. If Dean was ever honest with himself he’d admit that ever since Cas showed up in that barn that whoosh has been his most favorite sound in the world even more that the purr of the Impala.

“Hi Cas,” Dean said stupidly.

“Hello Dean,” Cas replied.

Dean just kept looking at the dirt in front of the step but he could feel Cas’ gaze bore into him like it always did, like Cas could see straight into his soul, which being an angel and all Cas probably could.

“Cas.” “Dean.” They both said together and for the first time in a long while Dean let out an honest to goodness real laugh and Cas smiled.

“Go ahead Dean,” Cas

“Sorry to drag you down here for this, I know you’re pretty busy and all…” Dean

“I am never too busy for you Dean,” Cas

“Uh, yeah, well, Sam he filled me in on the whole guardian angel thing for him and Adam so I get why Gabriel’s around every once in a while, but what I don’t get is what’s wrong with him?” Dean

“How do you mean? I was unaware that Gabriel was ill,” Cas stated.

“He’s not, at least I don’t think he is – that’s actually part of the point,” Dean

“I do not follow,” Cas

“The poor kid’s been through the ringer and we’re looking out for him ‘cuz he’s family and we love him, but Gabriel…Gabriel’s never around, getting him to show up is like pulling teeth, he’s antsy when he is around Adam like he’s gonna die if he touches the poor kid, but then I come to find out that he just so happened to fix up the kid’s two favorite cars and you just don’t go and do something like that for someone you don’t like,” Dean rambled.

“Did you know that Gabriel has children?” Cas asked.

“Angels can have kids?” Dean answered with a question of his own.

“Yes and no,” Cas answered.

“Cas, I’m a little drunk here,” Dean

“Angels themselves cannot have children, but some choose to take on fledglings – like your adoption I would expect, anyway…” Cas

“So Gabriel had a fledgling or two ok still doesn’t explain why he hates my baby brother,” Dean interrupted.

“Dean, you are jumping to conclusions again,” Cas

“Sorry,” Dean apologized.

“Gabriel did in fact have one fledgling but that’s not what…” Cas

“Who?” Dean asked interrupting again.

“Huh? Oh me, anyway, when Gabriel was Loki he actually had six kids of his own, four of which Odin enslaved or locked away and the other two killed each other. He sees himself as a really bad father and doesn’t want to fuck up Adam’s life any more than it has been, although I don’t see that happening knowing you Winchester boys,” Cas explained.

“Huh? I’m still a little drunk,” Dean

“Your brother is sleeping with an angel, Dean,” Cas

“Yeah, Remy is way out of my brother’s league, but if they’re happy…” Dean

“And you are mated to an angel,” Cas stated calmly.

Before Dean could catch up and say anything Cas was gone in that same whoosh of feathers. Dean took the next day out of work so he could deal with Adam when Adam found out what was going on.

The morning was a flutter of activity: making breakfast, getting Ben up and ready for school, and getting Lisa ready for work. Adam strolled down the stairs as Dean was kissing Lisa goodbye, Ben having already jumped into Lisa’s car to get dropped off at school. Adam and Dean ate breakfast not speaking to each other, but with the local classic rock station playing on the radio. After they ate and had their coffee, Dean’s third by that point, Dean washed the dishes and Adam flipped through the newspaper.

“Thanks for breakfast Dean, but what the hell is going on? I know we don’t know each other as well as you and Sam know each other, but I can still see that something’s off; like you have really bad news or something. Is it Sam? Or Bobby? Are they okay?” Adam started to panic.

“You talk about as much as Sam does, kid. Sam and Bobby are fine. Sam’s really fine, did you know he was sleeping with Remy?” Dean asked with a chuckle.

“O yeah, I found that out the hard way,” Adam commented.

“Yeah, you wouldn’t think it, but Sammy’s kinda loud sometimes,” Dean laughed.

“Uh-huh…so what gives?” Adam asked.

“After you went to bed I called Sam, and Remy told me to talk to Cas, so I called Cas, and mind you by that point I was about two sheets to the wind, but it seems Gabriel has kids and he thinks he fucked up their lives or at least the ones that lived, and he’s afraid he’ll fuck up your life too,” Dean rambled on.

“So that’s why he’s being a dick?” Adam more demanded than asked.

“Well that just kinda seems to come as part of the package of being an angel, but yeah essentially. Cas did say he wasn’t worried about it so I guess you don’t have to worry about it either,” Dean said distractedly but with a smile on his face.

“Why?” Adam asked.

“Huh?” Dean managed.

“Why isn’t Cas worried?” Adam explained.

“O, because you are a Winchester and we seem to have a thing for angels; he said I was mated to one, but I think all that whooshing has started messing with his brain,” Dean supposed, and Adam tried to hide his smirk. “What?”

“Dude, you can be so dense. Sam was the only one who knew you were gonna have to be told, we all held out hope that you’d figure it out yourself,” Adam chuckled.

“Told what?” Dean demanded.

“That you are in fact married to an angel; and that Lisa knows and promised to keep you safe and happy until you and Cas can be together. What did you think they were talking about out in my hallway after graduation?” Adam explained.

“Where was I when I got married?” Dean wondered.

“Unconscious and being pulled from Hell. Why do you think that handprint never faded?” Adam added.

“Fuck me!” Dean exclaimed.

“I think that’s Cas’ department,” Adam laughed.

“You have been hanging out with Sam and Bobby for far too long,” Dean sighed.

Adam hung out with Dean for a few days after their first heart to heart. They both had stuff they needed to think about and figure out. Adam wasn’t going to stop hunting the trickster, but he needed to figure out a way to deal with Gabriel. He decided to head back to South Dakota and talk it out with the family. Maybe they’d know what to do.

He left after breakfast and was loaded up with more than enough food to get him back. He was going to take his time driving back and do some more thinking. He was only a couple of states outside of Indiana and was starting to look for a place to spend the night when he saw a ball of fire fall from the sky.

Adam drove after the fireball like he was chasing the end of the rainbow, only he didn’t expect to find a pot o’ gold. He drove the Trans Am like lightning following the trail of fire across the sky. Perception thwarted, Adam was ten miles out when he saw what could only be described as a comet. When he finally caught up to it, it wasn’t what Adam was expecting. Hell, he didn’t know what he expected, but what he found wasn’t even on the list.

He drove as far as he dared then ran the rest of the way across the field. There was no doubt in Adam’s mind as he ran that it was his angel; that it was Gabriel lying there bloody and barely conscious. Adam went right into EMT mode, tearing Gabriel’s shirt open, checking vitals, checking wounds.

It seemed to look worse than it was, but Adam wasn’t taking any chances. He yanked off his shirt and tore it into strips and bandaged the major wounds. Then he carried Gabriel back to the car and drove like the devil was back out and after him.

He thanked Cas that the next motel was only a couple of miles away. He was a little flustered, worried about Gabriel, when he got the room. His hands were shaking so bad that he nearly kicked the door in when he dropped the key for the third time. With the door finally open, Adam was back at the passenger side peeling Gabriel from the car and carrying him inside and straight to the bathroom. The only other thing Adam grabbed from the car was his first aid kit.

Adam did a more thorough check over than the quick triage he did in the field. Most of the damage was minor cuts and bruises, but Gabriel did have a dislocated shoulder and a couple of broken ribs. Adam cleaned out and disinfected the cuts then bandaged the ribs and finally popped Gabriel’s shoulder back into place.

After cleaning Gabriel up, Adam carried the unconscious archangel over to the bed. And for the first time, he realized that the room only had the one king bed. He laid Gabriel down on his back as gently as he could, and then ran back to the Trans Am and grabbed the rest of his bags.

Back in the room Adam laid salt lines at the door and the windows then warded the room with every spell and sigil Bobby and Sam taught him. When Adam was sure they were safe, he took all the extra pillows and blankets and barricaded them around Gabriel to prevent the archangel from rolling over in his sleep.

Adam then pulled up the only chair in the room, a piece of shit wooden chair, propped his feet up on the bed and watched over Gabriel for the night. If something happened while Gabriel slept Adam was going to be ready.

The next morning Adam woke to a thud and the most beautiful sound he had ever heard, uproarious laughter. When he opened his eyes, Adam found himself face first in the carpet. He mumbled something to himself, well more like cursed at himself, but if it made Gabriel laugh like that he’d be more than happy to fall off chairs all the time.

“Sorry, didn’t quite catch that as your face is in the carpet, kiddo,” Gabriel chuckled.

The thing that had made Adam’s slumbering swan dive even funnier was the fact that his feet were still on the bed. He brought his feet down to the floor and then knelt at the foot of the bed to get a good look at the archangel. “Glad to see you’re feeling better,” Adam said trying to sound more pissed than he actually was.

“Laughter is the best medicine,” Gabriel continued to chuckle.

“Glad I amuse you as well as piss you off,” Adam choked out.

“Huh?” was Gabriel’s response.

“You do realize that that’s the most you’ve spoken to me since rescuing me, right?” Adam countered.

“O! I’m sorry, little one,” Gabriel apologized.

“Don’t call me that!” Adam screamed.

“Sorry, sorry! It’s an angelic term of affection, I didn’t mean to upset you, Adam,” Gabriel said visibly shaken.

“I’m sorry, Gabriel, it’s just Michael called me that all the time, while me and Sam were down there, and I’d just rather not be called that ever again,” Adam sighed.

“No problem, kiddo. I’m sorry,” Gabriel said a bit relieved.

“Not your fault, you didn’t ride me down to the cage,” Adam said.

“No, but trapping Luci back in was my idea, although I never thought Mikey’d jump in after him,” Gabriel tried to explain.

“Yeah, well he did,” Adam said.

“I don’t know why Michael thought using you would work,” Gabriel expressed.

“Because I’m John Winchester’s son,” Adam stated.

“Yeah, but you’re not his oldest, in fact if you were gonna be anyone’s vessel you should’ve been mine,” Gabriel explained.

It was a good thing that Adam was already on the floor, because that revelation sure would have put him there, “Your vessel?”

“Yeah, Mikey got Dean ‘cause they’re the oldest, next was Sam and Luci, then Raphael and Donnie Finnerman, and then finally you and me. We’re the babies of our respective dysfunctional families,” Gabriel educated.

“So, that means John had another son?” Adam asked.

“Yup, and I think he’s got a couple of daughters floating out there too, but I never really paid attention to John,” Gabriel answered.

Adam stood up in a daze and for the rest of the morning he didn’t speak to Gabriel and did everything on autopilot.

Chapter 7  
A soul in tension -- that's learning to fly  
Condition grounded but determined to try

 

Just when Adam thought his life couldn’t get more fucked up; it turned out that he was his guardian angel’s true vessel.

Gabriel let the poor boy zone out for the morning; in fact it had been a great source of amusement to watch Adam do everything here when his mind was Cas only knew where.

His cuts and bruises were healed along with his shoulder, but Gabriel’s ribs would take a little more time since he had been so depleted of Grace to begin with. So, Gabriel stayed in bed, and only snapped up the food Lisa had sent along to eat.

Adam had just finished making the coffee when he turned to Gabriel, “Huh?”

“I’m gonna need a little more than that, kiddo,” Gabriel said.

“Huh? O. Um, why was Michael able to possess me if I’m your vessel?” Adam asked.

“”Cause you have John’s blood,” Gabriel said not wanting to overload the kid any further.

“O,” was all Adam said before he zoned out again. Then he was coming out of the shower, which one would’ve thought would clear Adam’s head, when he asked, “So, are you gonna be in me?”

“Boy, I’d rather be in you in a different way,” Gabriel said honestly but teasingly.

“O,” was all Adam could manage before he zoned out again, not fully understanding what the archangel meant.

With one of the three broken ribs healed, and the second about halfway healed, Gabriel used some of his Grace to put Adam to sleep on the bed beside him hoping that some real rest would do the kid some good.

When Adam woke it was pitch black and he was all alone. He never bothered to check his cell phone to see what time it was or that he had a message, he just got up, got cleaned up, and started packing his stuff. He had a lot more to think about, and he had rather do it driving in the dark then sitting around some crap motel room.

Gabriel left while Adam was sleeping, it was a shit thing to do and he knew it, but this time instead of just disappearing he left Adam a note. He blurted something out that he wasn’t ready to admit to even himself, let alone Adam and thankfully Adam didn’t really seem to notice but Gabriel still felt the need to talk to someone about it.

“You love him, don’t you, Daddy?” Hel asked always one for getting straight to the point.

“I don’t know, hun,” Gabriel replied, happy for the chance to be with his daughter.

“How can you not know? Either you do or you don’t,” Hel countered.

“It’s not that easy, sweetheart. I’m supposed to be his guardian angel, emphasis on the guardian. I’m supposed to watch over him and keep him from doing something stupid. If anything I’m supposed to love him like he was my son,” Gabriel explained.

“Says who?” Hel demanded.

“I don’t know, that’s just how it is,” Gabriel sighed.

“Fuck that, Daddy. You obviously don’t give a shit about breaking the rules or I wouldn’t be here,” Hel rebounded.

“Watch your language young lady,” Gabriel reprimanded.

“I may look like a young badass rocker chick, but I’m almost older than dirt,” Hel sassed.

“But, I’m still your father,” Gabriel countered.

“Yes you are which makes you older than dirt. Now get your head out of your ass, go tell Adam you are in love with him, ‘cause spouses watch out for each other and have each other’s backs too you know. Now get out of here, I’ve gotta get ready for the girls,” Hel said seriously with a smile on her face she must have inherited from her father.

“Girls?” Gabriel questioned with a quirk of an eyebrow as well.

“Wow that kid’s really done a number on you, daddy,” Hel mocked.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, you can see everything about everybody, that's what made people fear Loki, but you don't see what’s going on within your own flock,” Hel alleged.

“What am I missing sweetie?”

“Normally I make people suffer my realm until they figure out that answer for themselves, but since you're my daddy and I don't have that kind of time I'm just going to tell you.”

“Thank you, pumpkin.”

“You've got a male/female angel in love with one Winchester and a human in love with another other Winchester who happens to be married to an angel,” Hel said quizzically.

“Remy and Lisa!”

“Oh good you haven't completely lost your touch, daddy,” Hel mocked again.

“But why do they come to you?” Gabriel asked sincerely.

“Who else are Lisa and Aunt Remy supposed to go to when they want some girl talk? Some other lower rank female angel, like that Anna they told me about. Someone else in the family? They’re all gay unless Uncle Remy wants to be Aunt Remy then Sam’s bi. There's no one else, daddy, but I'm not complaining I've been alone for so long it's nice to have company," Hel explained.

"Do you even know how much I love you Hel?" Gabriel asked.

"Yes, but it's always nice to hear," Hel answered.

"There isn't a container in the known universe big enough to hold my love for you, daughter."

"I love you too father, now please get your feathery ass out of here," Hel laughed.

Gabriel snapped his fingers and was gone leaving Hel to get the tea ready.

When Adam got back home he told everyone about how he found Gabriel and what he had said about the archangel vessels, but he still kept the trickster business to himself.

The general consensus from the family was that Gabriel was just afraid to fuck up again. The only one still holding onto the "Gabriel is a dick" school of thought was Sam, but Sam didn't know that Gabriel pounded pretending to be Loki but actually was Loki. Of course no one mentioned that tidbit to Adam; Bobby, Remy, and Ziggy feeling it was not their right to tell Adam, and Sam just didn't realize Adam didn't know about Gabriel's other life.

Things fell into place relatively quickly at Singer Salvage Yard. Adam hunted on the weekends with Sam and helped keep the junk-yard going during the week mostly by towing people, once Bobby showed him how to do it.

Then Bobby went and did something he rarely did, he went and asked the sheriff for a favor. Needless to say she was a little shocked when Bobby was knocking at her door one evening. "If you've got another dead body buried in your yard I don't want to know."

"Actually it's nothing like that," Bobby said shyly.

"Well come on in then. What can I do for ya?" the sheriff asked friendly enough.

"Uh, I got this kid living with me..." Bobby had started to say when the sheriff quirked her eyebrow. "His daddy was a friend of mine and he died going on five years ago and his mama just past, so I said he could stay with me when he wasn't at school and now the kid's decided not to go to med school."

"I'm not seeing how I fit into the equation here, Bobby," the sheriff replied.

"He still wants to help people. He worked part time as an EMT in New York, so I thought maybe..." Bobby rambled.

"Maybe I could get him a job."

"Yeah," Bobby sighed.

"Why didn't you just say so? I can't just give him the job, but if he passes all the requirements the job's his. Have him come down to the station Monday morning," the sheriff said enthusiastically.

"Yeah, I'll have him do that."

"And Bobby, you don't have any dead bodies in your yard, do ya?" the sheriff asked.

"Not today," Bobby replied.

Monday morning, Adam went down to the sheriff's station, took all the physical and psychological tests, then they drilled him on EMS procedures and what a first responder does in certain situations and by noontime Adam was on his way back to Bobby's as the FDSF's newest EMT.

So life continued on in their version of normal. When there was no one else Adam would back Sam up on a hunt other than that he was either at the fire station waiting for call, out on a call, or helping bobby Witt research. He never gave up his own research into the trickster, but he wasn't as obsessed with it anymore. In fact the only time he really thought about it was when the gifts had started arriving periodically. The first one showed up sometime during Adam's first shift with the FDSF.

He had come home exhausted and exhilarated and almost tripped over a puppy that was sitting inside the door to his room waiting for him to return. There was something very strange about the puppy. It wasn't until Adam had gotten out of his uniform and sat on the edge of the bed and the pooch was begging for attention that he realized it was the peanut pooch from Candyland with another jar of Gramma Nutt's peanut butter and a note that read: Roses are red, Violets are blue, You’re really hung, I wanna blow you. Adam’s eyes bugged out and he had to read the note over a few more times before he accepted that it actually said what he thought it said.

The next gift came about a month later; well Adam assumed it was a gift for him because of the note and the delivery system. It had been a particularly rough shift and all Adam had wanted to do was take a nice long, hot shower and pass out for twenty four hours.

His plans would have to wait, because when Adam walked into his room there were five tiny ass gingerbread men running around the room playing a bastardized version of tag and dodgeball. Instead of tapping each other they were heaving gumdrops at one anothers’ heads. They mostly missed and therefore turned Adam’s room into an homage to Jackson Pollack.

Before they disappeared they each handed Adam a numbered envelope. He opened them one by one, put them in numerical order and then read: There once was a boy from Sioux Falls, who had a massive pair of balls. When he would walk down halls, his balls would swing between the walls. And all the boys and girls would whistle catcalls.

He knew the poems were crude and so pornographic that even Penthouse wouldn’t publish them in their forum, but they still made Adam happy. There was someone out there who wanted him and was just as shy as he was. It made Adam feel all sorts of good and tingly inside.

Adam never put two and two together, but around the time he started getting the gifts from his Secret Admirer (whom Adam did realize had to be the Trickster) Gabriel started popping in; and Bobby started making sure there was always bacon in the fridge.

One Sunday afternoon after lunch, Adam found Gabriel in his room sitting in that ridiculous chair like he was just waiting for Adam. “How’ve ya been, kiddo?”

“Exhausted but exhilarated, usually,” Adam answered honestly.

“So, you enjoy being an EMT?” Gabriel asked sincerely.

“I love it.”

“Well, that’s good. How about your social life?” Gabriel asked and Adam just quirked his eyebrow at the archangel. “Do you have a girlfriend?”

Adam laughed, “I don’t know.”

“How can you not know?” Gabriel was flabbergasted.

“I don’t know why I’m telling you this; I haven’t told anyone else not even Sam, but I’ve got a secret admirer. And I think he or she is a trickster,” Adam confessed.

“What makes you say that?” Gabriel tried for casual.

“When I was in New York I went to take pictures in Central Park and came out of this tunnel into Candyland. I freaked at first, but then just played the game. I had read all of Bobby’s books about different tricksters and the two Winchester gospels where Sam and Dean encounter one,” Adam rambled.

“But that doesn’t explain why you think your admirer is this trickster,” Gabriel continued even though his stomach was rolling.

“O, ‘cause the messengers have been supporting characters from the game,” Adam explained.

They talked for a long while after that and finally Gabriel left. He didn’t stay away too long though, and soon he and Adam became very good friends. Adam even every once in a while took a job for Bobby just so he could hang out with Gabriel one on one.

He had nearly forgotten all about his trickster admirer until he nearly screamed like a girl when he woke up Christmas morning to find that red beaver chilling on the pillow next to him with a note and a bag of candy canes. Adam took the note and the bag from the beaver, but the beaver didn’t disappear like all the others. He scratched the paddle-like tailed animal behind the ears and that got something along the lines of a purr out of the animal, but he still didn’t disappear. Then it finally dawned on Adam as his brain finally caught up to his conscious state that: a beaver who munches on candy cane trees to cut them down probably wanted one of Adam’s treats.

Adam opened up the bad, picked the biggest candy cane and gave it to the very excited beaver who then finally disappeared. As soon as the bucktooth animal was gone, Adam tore open the envelope barely containing his own excitement over the extremely inappropriate, but well-meaning, bad poetry. What would I love of thee? Let me count the ways: I would love to skinny dip with you in bays. I would love to blow you for days. I would love that we could be two gays. I would love you as your pubic hair grays. I would love to love you in the hays. I would love that we’d have many lays. I would love you until the early morning rays on the end of days. Please meet me at five of midnight New Year’s Eve, out behind Bobby Singer’s garage.

Adam was bouncing around his room as he tried to calm down enough to go downstairs. He threw on a pair of track pants and a NYU sweatshirt and then went and joined the rest of the family to open presents.

This year it was even better as Dean, Lisa, and Ben made the trip up to spend Christmas with them, but the biggest surprise of all was that Gabriel was there too. Remy and Ziggy outdid themselves that year with the food and Gabriel with the decorations. Everyone was actually happy and having a good time; even Cas, Dean and Lisa had no awkwardness. It was loud and joyful and loud and wonderful and was one of Adam’s most favorite Christmases yet.

Dean, Lisa, and Ben stayed the night and the next day, but then had to head back to Indiana. Cas unfortunately had to whoosh back to Heaven not long after dinner, but the other three angels stayed right through New Year’s Eve. Remy and Ziggy made the attempt at being clandestine, but after Dean and family left Remy was back to sleeping with Sam and Ziggy with Bobby. Gabriel slept on the couch in Bobby’s study and was probably the only one who actually fit in it.

New Year’s Eve was a Friday and how Adam managed to get the day shift he’d never know. So, he was gone until three in the afternoon and when he got home Remy and Ziggy were conspiring in the kitchen, so he knew better than to go in there, Bobby was on the phone with of all people, Ben. It seemed Ben waited until the last minute to do a paper and was getting help from ‘Pops’ as Ben had taken to calling Bobby. Gabriel was nowhere to be found, but that didn’t concern Adam; Gabriel would pop in from wherever he’d been when dinner was ready.

Adam went up to his room to get out of his uniform. When he opened the door the beaver was back, only with a nice cold beer instead of candy canes, and a note. He slapped his tail down on the mattress repeatedly like a dog wagging its tail. Adam took the beer and the note, and gave his friend a candy cane from the stash Adam kept just for this purpose. When the beaver left Adam took a long swig from the bottle and opened the note. This time all it said was two simple words: Don’t Forget.

Around six, dinner was ready. They all piled into the study where Gabriel had snapped up a big screen tv. Remy and Sam were sitting so close that Remy might as well have been in Sam’s lap, while Adam got the other end of the couch. Bobby and Ziggy were sitting behind Bobby’s desk and Gabriel was sprawled out on one of those Cleopatra type lounge chairs.

As they ate a Chinese restaurant’s entire menu worth of food that Remy and Ziggy cooked, they watched Rudolph’s Shiny New Year. It seemed angels had a thing for the old Rankin & Bass cartoons. When that was over they tuned into Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve. Adam had a dopey grin on his face that only Gabriel caught as Sam and Bobby really only had eyes for their angels.

They counted down with all the east coasters and watched the ball drop, but for them it was only ten o’clock. They sat around drinking and reminiscing over the past year and then slowly everyone started to migrate elsewhere.

At about quarter of midnight, Adam headed out of the house to the back of Bobby’s garage. When he turned the corner he was back in Candyland, but with no multi-colored brick road. The little gingerbread men led Adam to a clearing just behind the giant Gingerbread Tree, and at exactly 11:55 Adam’s secret admirer appeared.

 

Chapter 8  
But I like being here  
And I'm all hooked up wrong  
Hang on to me, I'm one in a million  
One in a million, one in a million  
Please hang on to me

 

“You?” Adam asked shocked and surprised.

“Yeah. Me,” Gabriel answered with an apprehensive smile.

“You’re a pagan god?” Adam asked the first thing that popped into his head.

“Yup. And a father, runaway, coward, messenger, trumpet player, and your guardian angel,” Gabriel said by way of explanation.

Adam was still shell-shocked, standing there with his mouth hanging open like a guppy, but there was a twinkle in his eyes too. The gingerbread men shuffled Adam closer to Gabriel until they were toe for toe. Gabriel cupped Adam’s cheek with his hand, leaned up and kissed Adam just as it struck midnight.

The next thing Adam knew they were back in his room and Gabriel was still holding onto Adam, like if he let go Adam would disappear.

“Gabriel…” Adam started to say.

“Just think about it. I don’t expect you to be madly in love with me. Actually, I wouldn’t be surprised if you were begging Cas for a new guardian angel, but Hel would’ve bitch slapped me into the next millennium if I didn’t tell you how I feel,” Gabriel spoke from the heart.

“And, how do you feel, Gabe? Aside from that kiss, which was so tender and loving, your notes and that comment you made at the hotel when I found you in that field, sound more like you want a fuck-buddy, and I couldn’t handle that Gabe,” Adam nearly cried.

Gabriel sat on the edge of the bed bringing Adam down with him never letting go, “Adam, I haven’t felt like this since Hel’s mom. I didn’t think I could feel this way again. I think I may have started being in love with you when the ghoul called your brothers. I knew it wasn’t you, but I didn’t know you existed until then; so I found your soul amongst the many in Heaven and I looked into it.”

At that point Adam had tears in his eyes, but he wouldn’t let them fall. “What did you see?”

“I saw a beautiful soul whose time was cut short. I saw someone good and pure of heart who just wanted to be loved. I saw greatness in you Apples,” Gabriel recounted.

His eyes full of tears and cheeks blushing to fire engine red, Adam ran his fingers through Gabriel’s hair and pulled the incalculably older man to him finally kissing him back. Gabriel was so happy he just melted into Adam’s embrace.

They laid down on the bed wrapped in each other’s arms, when Adam hesitantly said, “Gabe, I want total honesty between us. So, I gotta tell you that I don’t know where this is going or how I feel…”

“I told you I didn’t expect an answer right away. I’m not going anywhere until you tell me too.” Gabriel was true to his word. He didn’t go anywhere – at all. The furthest Gabriel ventured from Adam’s room was the far edge of the salvage yard.

This went on for about a month when, finally, Adam made the suggestion that Gabriel go see Hel. It was like a fog had lifted from Gabriel and he snapped himself to Hel that moment.

It wasn’t that Adam didn’t want Gabriel around; he just didn’t want to be anyone’s whole world. He had seen what that could do to a person. John was his mom’s whole world outside of Adam himself, and she just always had this aura of nonfulfillment around her. He couldn’t handle it if he ever saw Gabe feel that way.

He was just sitting in his room when Sam happened to walk by, “You miss him, don’t ya?”

“Yeah,” Adam said absentminded.

“You love him, don’t ya?” Sam asked.

“Yeah…wait…what?” Adam said distracted.

“You’re in love with Gabriel, Adam. We all see it and don’t worry, no one’s told Dean yet. We all figured that should be Gabriel’s job as he stands the best chance of surviving,” Sam laughed.

“What’s up between them?” Adam asked.

“You remember my groundhog day?” Sam answered.

“Yeah…oh!” Adam realized.

“Yeah. C’mon dinner’s ready.”

Gabriel had been gone for about a week when Adam started to worry he wasn't coming back. And then the nightmares came back. Bobby ended up calling the kid out sick for the next week, while Sam dropped everything and came right back to keep Adam calm at least.

Remy and Ziggy went all around the world to his usual spots, looking for Gabriel, even stopping at Dean and Lisa's. Dean told them that he hadn't seen Gabriel in a few days and that he was supposed to be heading worry back to Sioux Falls. This worried that the two angels greatly so they called upon Cas, having avoided interrupting him this far.

“What is wrong, brothers?” Cas asked.

“We are unable to locate Gabriel,” Remy answered first.

“He went to see his daughter, and then came here four days ago and no one has seen him since,” Ziggy answered.

“This is not unusual behavior for Gabriel,” Cas stated.

“Actually Cas, it is,” Dean said shyly.

“What do you mean? You of all people should know Gabriel's habit of disappearing,” Cas responded.

“That was the old Gabriel, brother,” Ziggy said.

“Old Gabriel? I do not follow,” Cas said confused.

“Gabriel fell in love with Adam just like you said Cas, and hasn't left Adam's side since New Year's Eve, except when Adam’s at work. Now he's been gone for two weeks and Adam is having nightmares again,” Dean explained.

“He hasn't had a nightmare in the months. I should know, he would wake Sam and me up every night with them,” Remy added.

“We feel something bad has happened Cas,” Ziggy stated.

Cas didn't bother responding. He just closed his eyes, mumbled of some words in Enochian, levitated a little, sent forth a burst of energy and then said: “Gabriel is in the middle of the Sahara desert. You should go get him now.”

Remy and Ziggy disappeared before Cas even finished.

“Don't go Cas,” Dean yelled before Cas could disappear as well.

“Yes Dean?”

“I've missed you.”

Remy and Ziggy arrived in the Sahara in the blink of an eye; and finding Gabriel was a cinch as well. He didn't look good; in fact he looked like he was knee deep in his grave. Remy washed away the circle of holy fire, while Ziggy went to Hel. Gabriel had not only been angelically bound, but also bound with a pagan spell.

Ziggy returned as the last of the flames died it out with Sif in tow. Sif was able to break the spell easily enough. Remy grabbed Gabriel and flew them home, while Ziggy escorted Sif back to Hel and gave her a full report on her father.

With the assistance of Cas' grace, Gabriel was back to full health immediately. Adam though, insisted on waiting on Gabriel hand and foot until he was positive Gabriel was OK and wouldn't relapse. Adam never wanted to feel the pain of losing Gabriel again.

“Hey? What's up Apples?” Gabriel asked one night as they lay in bed, not long after he had gotten back.

“Nothing,” Adam said with his eyes closed.

“Bullshit,” Gabriel called.

“Can the angels swear?” Adam asked trying to change the subject.

“Only the really cool ones and you're not changing the subject. What is wrong?”

“Our new Moon wound down,” Adam said.

“Please don't make me use my "angel to muffled human” translator again,” Gabe chuckled.

“I said, I don't want to lose you again, Gabe,” Adam stated.

“I'm not going anywhere, kiddo,” Gabriel responded.

“You don't know that for sure. That's twice now Raphael's gotten you. And then I'm gonna die for good someday,” Adam said weakly.

Gabriel leaned over to his human, his mate if he was lucky, and kissed Adam so deeply, so sweetly, so perfectly that Adam temporarily forgot who he was.

“Now who's changing the subject, Gabe?” Adam asked with a smile on his face.

“I just want you to relax, Apples. You're not dying any time soon, so no need to worry about it right now,” Gabriel explained.

“Promise?”

“What? That you're not gonna die any time soon?” Gabriel asked. When Adam nodded he continued, “Hell yeah! I'd be a pretty hopeless guardian angel and boyfriend if I let you die now.”

“Is that what we are? Boyfriends?” Adam asked.

“Well, I was kinda hoping so.”

“Good, so was I.” Adam then gave Gabriel sleepy kisses.

It didn't take long after that for everything to go back to normal. Adam went back to work with a forged doctor's note for his time out. Sam and Remy went back out hunting. Bobby did his thing with Ziggy popping in all the time. And Gabriel hung out for another week before he started making day trips whenever Adam was at work.

He had made sure that he went out of state for his work, but this dick needed to be taught a lesson. Gabriel's mark was a state cop who lived in town. The ass was always giving the sheriff and her deputies grief over how she handled things. After Gabriel did some digging, it turned out that the cop was dirty. He'd been taking money from the big city drug dealers to look the other way and sometimes would get paid in pot instead. So when the cop made his daily walk to the coffee shop, Gabriel made sure he got an extra special jelly donut with his coffee.

Adam came home that afternoon, flopped down on the couch next to Gabriel and went right in to telling Bobby and Gabriel what happened. Bobby listened intently like any good father would and the sheriff happened to be a really good friend now.

When Adam was done with his story he said, “Gabe can I talk to you upstairs?” He didn't wait for an answer; he just started up the stairs to his room. Knowing Gabriel was already there, when Adam opened the door he said, “Take us somewhere Gabe.”

Gabriel knew that tone well enough. So, no questions asked, he snapped them onto a park bench in the middle of Boston common.

“What did you do, Gabe?“ Adam demanded.

“He was dirty. He was taking money and weed from the drug dealers to look away as they dealt to kids. So, I gave him his just deserts,” Gabriel answered.

“By making him OD on a powdered donut covered in blow?” Adam asked.

“Yup,” Gabriel answered simply as he braced himself for the worst.

“Teach me,” Adam said just as simply.

After doing a classic double-take Gabriel asked, “What?”

“Teach me to be a trickster like you.”

When Adam's words finally sunk in and Gabriel could think again, he kissed Adam with so much passion that Adam couldn't think anymore. They sat in the park until the sun set and then Adam whispered, “Take me home.”

He may not have been sure about much in his life, but he was sure about how he felt about Gabriel and it was time to prove it. They appeared in the center of their room and Adam walked them back to the edge of the bed.

Gabriel sat down when his calves hit the bed and then Adam straddled him, kissing him with such intensity hoping he could convey to Gabriel where this was going without having to say it. He was pretty sure to Gabriel got the message when he heard a snap of fingers and felt Gabriel's bare chest against his; their hearts beating wildly fast, but in sync with each other.

Another snap and Gabriel was on his back weighed down by Adam's glorious body, which was clad only in the cupid boxers he had given Adam for Valentine's Day. He smiled his Cheshire cat grin when he realized Adam actually wore them.

Adam was grinding his hips against Gabriel's, needing that blessed friction as they both grew harder. Gabriel started to spread his legs, when Adam pulled away from the kiss, looked Gabriel in the eyes, shook his head and said, “I want you inside of me, Gabe.”

Having cupped Adam's face with both hands so Adam couldn't look away Gabriel asked, “Are you sure?”

Adam nodded and Gabriel kissed the love of his life. Then he flipped them so he was on top. As much as he'd love to watch Adam ride his cock, he wasn't going to make Adam do the work their first time together - with it probably being Adam's first time ever.

Gabriel took his time worshiping his lover's body. He loved finding the places that turned Adam on the most; and the sounds Adam made were absolutely glorious. Gabriel worked his way down Adam's chest and stomach and each hip, and then licked a long stripe up Adam's cock. The moan that had elicited sent shivers right up Gabriel's spine.

He sucked Adam's cock like it was the best tasting lollipop ever; and as he bobbed up and down he stretched Adam open with one then two and then three fingers. Adam wanted to scream at the stretching and burning, but Gabriel's mouth felt so good. Then he went bug-eyed and started bucking his hips when Gabriel's fingers grazed the nerves of his prostate. Gabriel swallowed every drop of his lover's orgasm. When Adam's hips settled on the bed again Gabriel pulled off with an audible pop.

“I'm so sorry Gabe,” Adam nearly cried.

“Don't be Apples,” Gabriel comforted.

“Did I hurt you?” Adam asked.

“I'll tell you a little secret: angels have no gag reflexes. How do you feel?”

“Like I've been to the Moon and back.”

“Only the Moon? Damn I was shooting for Venus,” Gabriel said disappointed.

“The night's not over yet.” Adam winked before sliding his tongue into Gabriel's mouth and grinding his hips against Gabriel's.

“Gotta love the stamina of youth,” Gabriel said as he eased his way into Adam for the first time. He watched Adam's face carefully, making sure he had enough time to get used to the intrusion.

When Gabriel was fully seated inside Adam, he made Adam opened his eyes so he could see how much Gabriel loved him. Then Gabriel kissed him so passionately that Adam forgot all about the burning. Slowly, as though he was teasing Adam, Gabriel started to pump.

Adam needed to feel more connected, so while one hand was fisted in the sheets the other hand was wrapped around Gabriel's bicep. He gripped so hard he was sure he left bruises, but Adam couldn't really bring himself to care when Gabriel was making him feel all sorts of good.

Gabriel's thrusts got faster and Adam's cock got harder. And as every other thrust hit his prostate, Adam made the dirtiest sounds known to man and angel.

"Fuck Apples! You look so fucking hot taking my cock like this," Gabriel rumbled.

Adam just grunted.

"Those noises you make are heavenly. I wanna fuck you 24/7 just so I can hear you make those noises," Gabriel breathed.

Adam grabbed the base of his rock hard cock to keep from coming.

"You are so fucking gorgeous touching yourself. Stroke yourself Apples, I wanna feel you cum on me when I fucking from cum in you.

Adam stroked himself lightly, knowing he wasn't going to last long. He grabbed Gabriel by the back of the neck, crashed their mouths together, sucked on Gabriel's tongue; while he and Gabriel exploded at the same time causing Adam to see stars behind his eyes.

"I think that was another galaxy, Gabe. Is it always gonna be like that?" Adam asked sleepily, while he bared the weight of his archangel lover.

Gabriel gently pulled out of Adam before sleepily responding, "Even better if you would become my mate."

Adam didn't respond and that was okay by Gabriel. That was the last thing Adam needed to think about as they set forth on the journey of making Adam a trickster.

 

Chapter 9  
You are the foundation  
Begining of a new generation

 

The next thirty days were a crash course in Trickster. Days One, Two and Three were Gabriel being Gabriel and Adam watching the master at work from the sidelines; one prank Gabriel played was on the CEO of a bank who had received a Federal bailout. At five o'clock, while all his neighbors were coming home and could see, a repossession team liquidated his home for back taxes owed.

The next mark was a chick that lied to her best friend for nine months about not sleeping with the ex-fiancée of the best friend. She then went so far as to tell her best friend that she was pregnant in order to find out what the best friend had been saying to another supposed friend. This other friend was also betraying the best friend by taking everything he was told in confidence and reporting it back to the chick in hopes of getting laid.

Gabriel and Adam were sitting across the bar in the tiny ass casino watching the chick flirt, not only would it with the bartenders, but every single guy around her. It was more or less a recon mission and a date for the boys. Adam was still working at the fire department while learning to be a trickster, so they took advantage of every opportunity they could get.

The chick had just done one of those flirty hair lips to the guy on her left when the bartender started to walk by. She got his attention by doing the flirty lick your lips thing and that had Adam exclaim, “What a bitch!”

“Yup,” Gabriel breathed as she squeezed his boyfriend's hand under the bar.

“What are we going to do to her?” Adam asked as he squeezed back.

“Don't know yet. You think of something, let me in know.”

They followed her all night long and at one point she even tried hitting on Adam. When Adam kept ignoring her she tried to make a scene about “gays in public.” The whole thing pissed Gabriel off royally and took every ounce of restraint he ever had to not smite her right there and then. He did, however, snap her voice away.

She spent a good half hour in the ladies' room doing Dad knows what, and when she finally came out she headed straight to the exit. Gabriel and Adam followed her to her car; which considering the casino only had slot machines, seemed like it was in East Bumfuck, Brazil.

She drove away like a bat out of hell and was texting to boot so, even though this was supposed to be purely fact finding, Gabriel wasn't about to let a golden opportunity pass him by. He snapped the light from green to red allowing plenty of time for a normal driver to stop, but the bitch wasn't paying attention. She ran the light and hit the driver's side of the car crossing through the intersection.

Both were her and the driver she hit were taken to the hospital. While Gabriel made sure the other driver wasn't seriously hurt, Adam kept his eye on the bitch. When Gabriel got back Adam had a huge grin on his face. “What?” Gabriel asked.

“I'll tell you when...” Adam started to say when he heard a snap, “we get home.”

“Okay, tell me what?”

“This couldn't have turned out any better if we planned it, Gabriel.”

“If I have to ask what one more time you're not getting any for a week, Apples.”

“The doctors ran some blood tests mostly because she ended up coughing blood on a nurse. It turned out she’s really pregnant.”

“Poor kid.”

“That's not all! The dumb bitch also has herpes in her throat! I called DSS before you got back.”

“I'd guess she actually was a cock sucking whore.”

“That’s a dis on whores; they provide a service and get paid for it. This piece of trash did it for free.”

Day 4: Adam went back to work and Gabriel paid Hel a visit. “Hey daddy,” Hel exclaimed.  
“Hey hun.”

“What’s wrong?”

“What makes you think something's wrong?”

“O, I don't know, maybe the dull eyes or the hint of despair in your voice.”

“You are perceptive, little girl.”

“Don't make me go half archangel on you, daddy!”

“Okay, okay! Geez, can't a father wallow in peace.”

“Nope.”

“I'm teaching Adam to be a trickster.”

“Yeah and?”

“And I can't lose him a Hel; I loved him too much.”

“You want to make him immortal.”

“Yeah.” Gabriel stayed with Hel doing research, wishing Sam or Bobby was there to help out (they had mad research skills) while Adam worked his 40 hours.

Day 9: Adam had slept in that morning. His last shift had been a pretty bad one; house fires always were. So, it was a very pleasant surprise when he opened his eyes and found Gabriel looking back. “When did you get here?” He asked.

“A few hours ago; I missed you,” Gabriel whispered.

“I missed you too,” Adam whispered as he ghosted his lips across Gabriel’s.

And if they got back to Hel’s a little (okay a lot) later than anticipated, Hel didn’t seem to mind. In fact, she nearly picked Adam up while hugging him hello.

“Can’t breathe,” Adam gasped.

“O! Sorry, Adam,” Hel apologized profusely.

“It’s okay Hel,” Adam consoled.

“I got a little excited to finally meet the guy that makes my daddy so happy. I don’t count the last time ‘cause you were unconscious,” Hel rambled.

“Thank you for all you did. I wouldn’t have been able to take care of Sam without the supplies you snuck in.”

“My pleasure Adam; even though I’m half angel, I still like to stick it to ‘em.”

“You are awesome Hel. O! Is it okay if I call you Hel or do I call you your goddessness?’ Adam asked embarrassed.

“You can call me Hel if I can call you Pops,” Hel snickered.

“Uh, sure,” Adam said confused.

“Yay!”

“One big happy family,” Gabriel finally replied.

Adam spent his two days off with Gabriel and Hel; getting to see a different side to the man he loved. When it was time for Adam to go back to work: Hel gave him another giant hug, and then Gabriel gave him a kiss goodbye and then snapped his fingers. The next second Adam was in his uniform in his car in the parking lot of the station.

Gabriel hung around with Hel for another couple of days doing research. He was going to find a way for him and Adam to be together forever, even if he had to kill someone to do it.

Day 15: Gabriel had been back for a couple of days and they were a great couple of days if you asked him. Lots of sex if you get his drift. There were also a few pranks thrown in there too. But, he saved his big prank for the halfway mark.

Gabriel loved the invention of the internet; it gave him infinite more options in his prankiness. So, when he received a questionable photo from a very popular senator in his twitter, there was no way he was passing up the opportunity. Gabriel snapped him and Adam to Washington, D.C. so that Adam could see Gabriel’s handiwork. Adam ended up doubled over because he was laughing so hard. Everywhere you looked there were ads asking: Do You Know This Dick? across a picture of a quite beefy cock for a politician. Then underneath it said: REWARD, and Gabriel put the phone number to the Senator’s office on the bottom.

“O fuck Gabe! I love you!” Adam exclaimed.

“I love you too, Apples,” Gabriel exclaimed back.

They didn’t wait for the tidal wave to descend upon the senator; instead they started driving home, or so Adam thought. Gabriel actually drove them to Dean’s.

Day 18: They arrived on Dean and Lisa’s front porch unannounced, so Adam knocked. Dean answered and they hugged, not the chick-flick kind of hug though. Then Dean saw Gabriel and that was it. Dean shoved Adam into the house and pulled – of all things – the colt from the back of his jeans and pointed it at Gabriel.

“Dean stop!” Adam yelled.

“You don’t know what he’s like, Adam!” Dean yelled back.

“Yes I do, Dean!”

“No you don’t!”

“Yeah Dean, he does,” Gabriel piped in.

“You shut up!” Dean yelled at Gabriel.

“Shutting up,” Gabriel acknowledged.

“He’s a trickster, Adam!” Dean lowered the volume of his voice but not the intensity.

“I know!” Adam said following suit.

“He’s the trickster that kept killing me,” Dean pleaded with some anger still in his voice.

“I know Dean, and he’s teaching me to be one too,” Adam replied.

“Huh?” Dean asked ever so eloquently.

“I’m gonna be a trickster, Dean,” Adam said simply.

“O! Well c’mon in then, Gabe,” Dean said sweetly.

Adam’s jaw dropped to the floor and Dean and Gabriel cracked up laughing at the face Adam was making. “Dude! You come from a family of pranksters. How long did you think you’d get away with not being initiated into the Winchester Family Prank War?” Dean asked.

“I love you, Apples, but I’m a trickster. What’d you expect?” Gabriel added.

“So, you weren’t gonna shoot him, Dean?” Adam needed reassuring.

“Nope. Couldn’t if I wanted to,” Dean answered, and Adam just quirked his eyebrow at his big brother unbelieving. “The colt can’t kill an archangel, learned that the hard way. Damn that tree hurt.”

When everything settled and they all had made it through the front door, Ben grabbed Adam and they went to play some Mass Effect 2. Gabriel and Dean sat on the back porch drinking beers.

“So, what is it, Gabe?” Dean asked.

“Huh?” Gabriel tried to play dumb.

“I know you didn’t call me just to play a prank on my littlest brother. What do you want?”

“I actually wanted to ask you for your blessing,” Gabriel replied.

“Is this a joke? ‘Cause I will get my hands on an angel sword and kill you myself,” Dean said evenly.

“No joke, Dean. I’m head over heels for the kid. There is no one else for me. I love Adam,” Gabriel answered earnestly.

“Okay.”

“Okay what?”

“You got it, my blessing. Okay. Adam lights up around you like we’ve never seen. Me and Sammy are glad he’s got you to take care of him. Just remember – you hurt him and you’ve got us to deal with.”

“I won’t ever hurt him, Dean.”

“Just remember.”

Day 25: “Daddy, there’s just no other way,” Hel said exasperated.

“I know sweetheart; it’s just we didn’t leave things on the best of terms,” Gabriel tried to circumvent the conversation.

“But, you saved her life.”

“I saved her from a lot of pain.”

Hel ignored her father and started chanting in a mixture of her Scandinavian and Indian. She paused and then replied with a simple, “Thank you.”

A few minutes later Kali appeared, “So, do I call you Loki, Gabriel or Bastard?”

“You can call me whatever you want, Kali,” Gabriel said sullenly.

“Then I’ll call you a hero.” Gabriel’s jaw dropped at Kali’s remark, but she kept right on going. “What can I do to help?”

“Uh?” Gabriel answered shocked.

“I remember you being much more loquacious, Loki,” Kali said with a laugh to her voice.

“Uh…” Gabriel repeated.

“What my father is trying to say is that he has found his bond mate, but Adam is human and we were hoping that you would make him immortal Ms. Kali,” Hel answered for her father.

“Sweet Hel, we are equals no need for the honorifics,” Kali dealt with first.

“Thank you Kali,” Hel answered simply.

“Is this true, Loki?” Kali asked.

“Yeah, he’s the one. I’ve never met anyone quite like him. I mean, he took in Michael and fought against Luci...” Gabriel started when he was cut off by Kali.

“Are we talking about Adam Milligan?”

“He changed it to Winchester, but yeah that’s my Adam,” Gabriel beamed.

“Well, that’s all you needed to say. I’ll do anything I can for that boy,” Kali replied.

“Really?” Hel and Gabriel asked simultaneously.

“Yes really. I know what he and Sam went through, just as Hel knows, and if there are two people deserving of immortality it is them,” Kali explained. “Bring Adam to me in two days’ time. I have preparations to make.”

“Thank you Kali. Thank you.” With that, Gabriel snapped himself back to his beloved.

Adam’s shift was just getting over, which gave Gabriel approximately twenty minutes to get ready. He had just finished the very last touch when he heard the front door open. Adam was a creature of habit at home, so the next move would be to the refrigerator, grab two beers, and head up to his room.

When Adam did open the fridge there was a note attached to the beer: Follow The Rings. He turned around and found a whole line of candy ring pops levitating about chest high. He grabbed a paper bag from beside the refrigerator and started plucking the rings from midair. They led Adam to his room where the door just opened for him to reveal red rose petals and baseballs scattered about his room. Gabriel came up behind Adam from his hiding spot and wrapped his arms around Adam’s waist. Adam leaned back into the embrace and said, “Promise me you’ll never change; that you’ll always be this romantic and corny at the same time.”

“Look on the bed, I think you’ll find my answer there,” Gabriel whispered into Adam’s neck.

Adam went to the bed and in the center found one long stem white rose passing through a white gold wedding band. The ring fell into his palm and then he turned around to face Gabriel. “What is…? Are you…?”

“A wedding ring, and yes I am, Apples. Will you Adam Milligan Winchester, do me the honor of being bonded with me for all eternity?” Gabriel asked on one knee.

“With tears in his eyes, Adam said, “You know I can’t do that, Gabe.”

“Do you trust me?”

“Yes.”

“Then yes you can spend all of eternity with me, Apples.”

Day 27: Kali sent word that she was ready and Gabriel snapped everyone (including Cas) to a remote spot of the Ganges River in India where they bore witness to Gabriel and Adam’s human bonding ceremony. Gabriel made Adam his angelic mate in private the night before.

Cas and Kali presided over the ceremony and between the two of them they managed a temporary break in the hold over Hel so that she could be there with her father and father-to-be. After their first kiss as husband and husband Gabriel snapped all the guests to old Bombay for the reception. Kali, Gabriel, Adam, and Cas had one more thing to do before they could join their family.

“You are a remarkable young man Adam Winchester, and this is a great honor for me, but I must warn you. I know the pain you went through in the cage, this is going to be so much worse,” Kali said.

“You don’t have to do this, Apples,” Gabriel said one more time.

“I know I don’t, Gabriel, but I want to be with you forever and Kali can do that for us,” Adam stated.

“Have I told you how much I love you, kiddo.”

“Not in the last ten minutes, old man.”

After one more kiss between the happy couple, Kali proceeded with the ritual. Cas and Gabriel stood on the bank pooling their Graces and healing energies for Adam. Kali and Adam waded into the water. Adam floated on his back as instructed and closed his eyes. Kali started chanting and absorbing power from the river, when she had absorbed so much energy she started glowing, she levitated so that her toes were still submerged. There was a crackle of lightning and clash of thunder as her four arms radiated fire and she sent all the energy she had stored up into Adam.

Gabriel screamed for both of them as he felt every nerve and cell in Adam’s body die and be reformed into something new, something different. The lightning crashed all around them and the thunder grew louder and louder until there was nothing but white fire and a cacophony of noise, drowning out Gabriel’s screams.

Then suddenly everything was gone and the sky was a brilliant blue. Gabriel felt no more pain as he collapsed to the ground. Castiel was holding his parental figure when they looked up and saw Adam walking out of the river carrying an unconscious Kali. Castiel ran to the edge of the bank and took Kali from Adam so that Adam could go to Gabriel. By the time Kali awoke, everyone else – mainly Gabriel – had recovered and he snapped them to the reception.

Day 30: Adam was still human, he had no magic like Kali and Hel or Grace like Cas and Gabe, but he did have everlasting life thanks to Kali. But as Kali said to Adam and Gabe, nothing lasts forever and as Superman had his Kryptonite, there would be something to take Adam down should he ever become insane or just decide that enough was enough and it was his turn to die.

There was one thing Adam wanted to do before the honeymoon. He had been planning this when Gabriel wasn’t around, and now he could do it. He was barely old enough to remember when the Valdez spilled all the oil in the Alaskan waters, but he had seen the pictures. He, however, was old enough to have been devastated by the oil spill in the Gulf.

As much as it killed Adam to have some of the things that were going to happen as a result, this dick needed to be taught a lesson. And the best lesson Adam could think of is to have the CEO of the oil company truly feel the effects of his dickishness.

He had been storing oil in Bobby’s garage for a month, and while everyone slept – including Gabriel, Adam loaded all the oil up and brought it over to the mansion of the CEO. Thanks to a couple of improvements made by being bonded to an archangel, Adam managed to dump half a ton of oil into the first floor of CEO’s house in a short amount of time. When he was done he drove home and slipped back into bed with his husband.

“You are gonna explain where you’ve been, when I’ve had a few more hours of sleep, Apples,” Gabriel whispered as he rolled over and dropped his arm across Adam’s chest.

“Mmmhmm,” Adam hummed into his sleepy husband’s hair.

It turned out that Adam didn’t have to explain anything. His prank was breaking news on the Today Show, so Adam woke up to a grinning Gabriel and breakfast in bed.

“That was awesome, Apples,” Gabriel couldn’t stop grinning.

“Worthy of a Trickster?” Adam asked.

“O yeah!” Gabriel laughed.

So, Gabriel managed to make Adam a god in thirty days or less, money back guaranteed. Although, if you ask either one of them, they love they have is worth more money than is available in the world.

 

Author's Note 2: Here are the song titles and artists...   
1\. Pink Floyd - Learning To Fly  
2\. Rodney Atkins - If You're Going Through Hell  
3\. CombiChrist - I Woke To The Rain Of Blood  
4\. Sarah Evans - A Little Bit Stronger  
5\. Watchmen - Stereo  
6\. Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb  
7\. Pink Floyd - Learning To Fly  
8\. Watchmen - Stereo  
9\. Xibit - Foundation


End file.
